Championing this year's campaign, Newcastle United Disabled Supporters Association (NUDSA) member Elliot Caswell and his father spotlighted the perspective of a wheelchair fan attending St. James' Park to raise awareness of matchday accessibility considerations.
The experience has been highlighted as part of the club's ongoing support for Unite for Access, a campaign driven by registered charity Level Playing Field, which uses two weeks of the sporting calendar (1-16 March) to promote disability inclusion at live sports events across the UK.
Discussing the importance of inclusive matchday experiences, Elliot's father and carer, Jon Caswell, commented: "As far as Elliot is concerned, when we come to the match nobody sees his wheelchair, all they see is Elliot as a Toon supporter. That's a really big reason for us coming to the matches, other than the excitement of the game.
"We're all part of the same family, it doesn't matter whether you’ve got an additional need or not. We think it's really important that Newcastle United stands for inclusivity."
As part of the longstanding United As One campaign, the club works closely with NUDSA throughout the year to raise awareness of key facilities at St. James' Park which are breaking down barriers and enabling many fans with enhanced accessibility needs to attend matches.
Sela Sound Shirts
A world-first initiative led by the club's principal partner, haptic shirts were introduced through Sela's trailblazing Unsilence the Crowd campaign, which marked Deaf Awareness Week 2024.
Sela Sound Shirts are designed to enhance the matchday experience for fans with hearing impairments by transforming stadium noise into a real-time touch sensation. Microphones positioned around the pitch capture crowd noise, which is transmitted to an antenna and directly to the shirt, allowing fans to feel the vibrations of the crowd’s cheers.
To enquire about using a Sela Sound Shirt, deaf and hard-of-hearing supporters should email [email protected].
Quiet Viewing Area
The Quiet Viewing Area offers a calm and comfortable space where supporters with sensory processing difficulties can enjoy the match. It provides an exceptional view of the pitch from behind soundproof glass, allowing fans to experience the game in a controlled environment.
Adjacent to the quiet viewing area is the sensory room, equipped with bean bags, sensory lighting, and interactive toys to support self-regulation.
The quiet viewing area accommodates 12 supporters:
Six supporters who require access to the space
Six accompanying parents/carers
To apply for access, The Mags+, The Mags and Junior Mags members can enter the accessible ballot by selecting the sensory room option.
Accessible seating
The club offers a total of 234 spaces for wheelchairs, including both elevated and pitchside locations. There are also 125 dedicated accessible seats and 85 amenity seats on offer to fans.
To apply for accessible seating, The Mags+, The Mags and Junior Mags members can enter the accessible ballot by selecting the appropriate seating option to suit their needs.
Personal assistants
Fans requiring support in the form of a personal assistant should contact [email protected] for further information.
Food service for wheelchair users
To enhance accessibility, wheelchair users at St. James' Park can order food - without navigating the busy concourse before the match - by placing orders directly with staff in the following areas:
Level 7
Lower North
Lower East
Lower South
Later this year, a new app will be launched to allow wheelchair users to order food, with meals delivered directly to their seat before kick-off.
Audio Description Commentary (ADC) headsets
An audio-descriptive commentary service is provided for home match fixtures at St. James' Park. The audio-descriptive commentary is a specialist matchday service that enables visually impaired fans to enjoy live matches, thanks to trained specialist commentators.
Supporters who require an ADC headset can request the service by contacting [email protected].
Passport
Visiting St. James' Park can be daunting for people with both visible and non-visible disabilities. The club strives to make trips to the stadium as easy as possible through accessibility passports which ensure those who need accessibility support can alert matchday staff in a simple, recognisable way.
Fans who produce their accessibility passport to matchday staff along with their membership card and/or ticket will be assisted with their individual requirements, which may include support accessing the stadium and facilities. Individuals who may benefit from this support are invited to register for a pocket-sized accessibility passport, by contacting [email protected].
Wellbeing officers
The club has a team of wellbeing officers who work to deliver effective safeguarding and equality, diversity and inclusion support on matchdays.
The team take a proactive approach to supporter wellbeing and are there to ensure the safety of visitors, as well as assisting with any accessibility requests, reporting or further assistance. Wellbeing officers are located around the stadium on all home matchdays and are identifiable by their white bibs.
More information
To discover more information about the work of Level Playing Field please visit www.levelplayingfield.org.uk.
Additional information for disabled fans looking to attend St. James' Park can be found here.
