Now, the NFL is partnering with a Seattle-based startup called OneCourt to give some attendees of this year’s Super Bowl a new way to follow the game, the Associated Press reports.
OneCourt creates a device that provides real-time tactile feedback for major sporting events. It’s roughly the size of an iPad, though slightly thicker, with raised lines on its surface that map out territory. The device allows users to track the position of the ball, while various vibrations indicate specific plays. It also comes with headphones, so users can follow their team’s radio broadcasts without any delays.
OneCourt was founded in 2021 by a group of students at the University of Washington. Its CEO, Jared Mays, got the idea after watching a video of a blind man attending a football match during his junior year. In the clip, the man sits next to a woman who moves her hand over a tactile game board.
The NFL, OneCourt and Ticketmaster worked together to run the device in 15 games during the latest regular season, including matchups hosted by the Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers.
For the upcoming Super Bowl on Sunday, February 8, about 10 blind and low vision fans will get a chance to try out the device.
One of those fans is Scott Thornhill, executive director of the American Council of the Blind.
“It will allow me to be as closely involved and enjoy the game as possible, as much as people can watch it,” he told the AP. “As someone who grew up playing sports before losing my vision, I’m getting back a huge part of my life that I was missing. It’s hard to even explain how much that means to me, to be at a game and not have to wait for someone to tell me what happened.”
OneCourt’s devices are already available to fans who need them in eight NBA arenas, including the Brooklyn Nets’ Barclays Center, the Denver Nuggets Ball Arena and the Orlando Magic’s Kia Center.
The company has also opened a waiting list for people interested in purchasing the device to use at home.
<a href