Portland Trail Blazers and Ticketmaster Pioneer Accessibility Technology

Featured Focus: Partnerships for Good, Access / Inclusion / Equality, Innovation

Scope of Impact: Local

The Portland Trail Blazers are carving out a new chapter in NBA history by partnering with OneCourt and Ticketmaster to bring a game-changing tactile device to their fans.

Aimed at enhancing the game experience for fans who are blind or have limited vision, this device creates a real-time haptic playground for fans to feel the game through their fingertips.

Using up-to-the-minute data coupled with auditory and tactile feedback, OneCourt’s innovative device lets visually impaired fans track the progress of the game, know the score, and even sense the thrill of successful shots—all without needing assistance. As one user, Anthony S. Ferraro, described it, the experience was "life changing."

The Blazers' leap towards inclusivity and the adoption of such a cutting-edge innovation in sports underlines the real power of partnership in driving meaningful social, and human, change.

See the original story here.

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This initiative embodies the merging of social inclusion, innovation, and partnership to redefine the future of sports experience for the visually impaired. It underscores the transformative power of sports and technology, and the spirit of collective efforts to enrich lives and make the world more accessible. We love it because it’s a game changer—and a conversation starter—that will push other teams and leagues to do the same.