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Blind/visually impaired fans


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Yes, I know many will say plenty on here must be blind...

 

...but on 5 Live this morning there was an interesting discussion with a blind Arsenal fan about his experiences watching his team. It was all very positive and he touched on commentaries provided by clubs (as well as BBC etc) and just generally how he likes to be at the game for the atmosphere etc even though he couldn't see what was happening.

 

It just got me thinking that I don't recall ever seeing somebody at Latics who I could tell was clearly blind (again, cue jokes about Main Stand moaners). Do Latics or other League One clubs have a similar commentary service or is it just for those in the 'big time'? In what ways do Latics cater for blind fans?

 

(This post is not a pop at the club, genuinely interested after thinking about it since this morning)

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Apparently Brentford have been doing a commentary service since th 50s.

 

http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/fans/blind-scheme/

 

I think this is the kit that they and other clubs that do it use now.

It comes with a licence exempt UHF radio transmitter, range 200m, 10 receivers and 10 headphones/ear pieces. So that 10 people can sit wherever they like in the ground and listen to the broadcast commentary. Unlike LP this is real live commentary, not digitally delayed.

 

http://www.accessaudio.co.uk/audio-description-equipment/5659-aa-10-aural-aide-audio-description-equipment-aa-10.html

 

We already have the commentator, courtesy of LP, he would just need the lapel mike and the transmitter that come with the kit.

 

It's a bit pricey for Latics but maybe they could get sponsorship.

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I sat next to someone in the Main Stand upper once who had someone sat next to him "commentating" for him. Was a long time back.

 

We've all had that experience! Sadly these days it is limited to "Get it forward".

 

Would be good if the LaticsPlayer commentary could be made available via a cheap rented smart phone to visually impaired people who want to attend the games for the atmosphere (what little there is these days).

 

Christ I've had a :censored: day, I even managed to make a post about how the club could do something nice sound miserable.

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We've all had that experience! Sadly these days it is limited to "Get it forward".

 

Would be good if the LaticsPlayer commentary could be made available via a cheap rented smart phone to visually impaired people who want to attend the games for the atmosphere (what little there is these days).

 

Christ I've had a :censored: day, I even managed to make a post about how the club could do something nice sound miserable.

God help them trying to figure out which is this near side and which is that near side...

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We've all had that experience! Sadly these days it is limited to "Get it forward".

 

Would be good if the LaticsPlayer commentary could be made available via a cheap rented smart phone to visually impaired people who want to attend the games for the atmosphere (what little there is these days).

 

Christ I've had a :censored: day, I even managed to make a post about how the club could do something nice sound miserable.

 

The problem with LP id that it lags behind the game by about 30 secs. which is OK for those with no vision. so long as they don't mind knowing in advance when a goal's been scored. But for the partially sighted who would like to know who has got the ball and who it's been passed to etc it's not a big help. BTW that's me.

Edited by laticsrblue
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The problem with LP id that it lags behind the game by about 30 secs. which is OK for those with no vision. so long as they don't mind knowing in advance when a goal's been scored. But for the partially sighted who would like to know who has got the ball and dho it's been passed to etc it's not a big help.

The biggest problem with LP would be the same as for sighted listeners, half the time you don't know which team the lads are talking about. "They," needs to be the other side only!
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