Find the latest news from the Office of Accessibility. Once a month we will bring you tips, articles, and ways to learn more about digital accessibility. Want an easier way to stay informed? Subscribe to the Accessibility Newsletter!
How Accessible is Your Team?
11/20/2019 2:57:23 PM
By: Molly
Soccer is just ending, hockey and basketball are starting their seasons, and football is in full swing. With the holidays approaching, sports are a hot topic of conversation at the holiday gathering. In my family, we always have the football games on during Turkey Day. My uncle and I always escape the people we don’t want to engage, and find a place to talk about the chances of our teams winning based on their stats.
But what if my uncle or I had a disability? Would we be able to:
Let’s take a look at some of the work being done by national sports teams to ensure the digital accessibility of their online offerings, as well as some accommodations available for those that attend in person.
On their website the National Football League (NFL) has an NFL Accessibility Statement. In the opening lines the statement promises ongoing commitment to creating quality experiences on its website for “fans with disabilities that is full and equal to that provided to fans without disabilities.” NFL.com commits to following the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Levels A and AA. Coincidentally, the State of Minnesota follows these same standards! The League statement further states that they work with the National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) to maintain their website and provide training on an ongoing basis, and that their website will undergo periodic tests, with assistive technology and by assistive technology users. Finally, the league supplies a dedicated email to contact for issues concerning accessibility.
The Vikings’ Accessibility Statement appears similar to the NFL’s statement. It promises an ongoing commitment to accessibility and usability of its site for all fans and that they work with an accessibility consult to help the team implement WCAG 2.0 guidelines on their site.
The MLB Accessibility Information webpage states that they utilize the guidelines put out by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and that they are working to make MLB.com satisfy levels A and AA of the WCAG 2.0 guidelines.
Additionally, MLB.com “launched an accessible media center for our MLB.com Gameday Audio subscribers, offering features such as volume control, ability to choose the home or away feed and access to archived games, and more.”
They also link to their Accessibility FAQ webpage which has answers for question like “what is the best way for a screen reader user to navigate MLB stats?”
On their Access Guide for Guests with Disabilities, the Minnesota Twins and Target Field state that they have Assistive Listening Devices that transmit ballpark audio to all guests, free of charge. The St. Paul Saints provide color contrasting directional signage and braille for fans with vision disabilities.
According to the Xcel Energy Center Accessibility/ADA services webpage, the Minnesota Wild provide closed captioning services at all Xcel Energy Center home games. Captioning appears on the east and west ends of the arena scoreboard. Xcel Energy also supplies Assisted Listening Devices for loan.
The Florida Panthers’ website lists a Policy on Website Accessibility. The Policy States that the company has adopted WCGA 2.0 standards for its website. The Policy further states that the company conducts monthly tests of the website for accessibility compliance and that “The company actively solicits feedback on the usability and accessibility of its website and digital contact in order to maintain an open channel of communication with its end users.”
The Minnesota Timberwolves play in the Target Center. The Target Center ADA information page lists a few digital accessibility features. The Target Center loans assisted listening devices to guests during events. Additionally, the AIRA app designates the Target Center a free location for use with AIRA. AIRA is a service that delivers access to visual information to blind or low vision individuals and allows them to better navigate.
As the world of sports becomes increasingly digitized, digital accessibility becomes more important. From live streaming games, buying merchandise and tickets online, to checking up on team news on their website it is important that all features are accessible to everyone.
So, take just 15 minutes with your family this holiday season to try different ways to access your online sport experiences:
And, you may be surprised by who in your family tells you that this makes it easier for them to engage with their sporting experience!
Would you like to learn more about the accessibility work being done by Minnesota IT Services and the State of Minnesota? Once a month we will bring you more tips, articles, and ways to learn more about digital accessibility.
Accessibility
