Super Bowl LX is less than two weeks away, and the NFL has partnered with OneCourt and Ticketmaster to introduce a game-enhancing device that will allow visually impaired fans to experience the game like never before.
A select group of blind and low-vision fans will be granted unprecedented access to the Super Bowl this year, utilizing a tactile device that tracks the ball’s location, provides vibrations for key plays, and delivers real-time audio commentary.
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The NFL has collaborated with OneCourt and Ticketmaster to present this game-enhancing experience fifteen times during the regular season, during games in Seattle, Jacksonville, San Francisco (Santa Clara), Atlanta and Minnesota.
Scott Thornhill, the executive director of the American Council of the Blind, has expressed great anticipation for the event. Thornhill was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa when he was eight years old and later lost his sight.
“It will allow me to engage and enjoy the game as close as possible as people who can see,” Thornhill said.
Approximately 10 blind and low-vision fans will have the chance to test this technology at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, when the Seattle Seahawks take on the New England Patriots on Feb. 8. By placing their hands on the device, they will feel the ball’s location and receive audio updates on the progress of the game.
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Seahawks fan Clark Roberts was invited to the team’s Dec. 14 home game against the Indianapolis Colts and given the opportunity to try the OneCourt device. Roberts lost his sight at the age of 24 due to retinitis pigmentosa.
“The device does two wonderful things,” Roberts explained. “It vibrates in different ways for different plays and through headphones, I was able to hear Seattle’s amazing announcer, Steve Raible. Real-time audio is the real beauty of the device because usually when I’m listening to a game, there can be a delay of up to a minute or more and that can be challenging to constantly ask family and friends what happened.”
OneCourt is also working on bringing this innovation to other sports and leagues aside from the NFL. They’ve partnered with NBA and Major League Baseball teams to provide access to these devices at games and are currently in talks with the NHL.
Co-Founder Jerred Mace launched OneCourt in 2023 after seeing a blind fan attending a University of Washington soccer match. The company is headquartered in Seattle and utilizes NFL tracking data from Genius Sports, which it then translates into feedback for the device, creating unique vibrations on plays such as touchdowns and tackles. That data is generated from chips and cameras embedded in balls, jerseys, and other key components of a game.
“It’s a testament to the maturity of the product and our company that we have gone from delivering this to a handful of teams throughout the last year or two to having it at the largest event in American sports,” OneCourt co-founder Antyush Bollini said. “The Super Bowl is such an amazing event and now blind and low-vision fans can use our technology in a way they deserve.”
This year’s Super Bowl takes place on Feb. 8 from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, at 6:30 p.m. ET, airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock.
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