Fans of Premier League club Newcastle United who are deaf or hard of hearing experienced a completely new sensation in stadium atmosphere over the weekend, thanks to new vibration kits.
According to a report by the BBC, the new „haptic kits“ are the result of a partnership between Newcastle sponsor Sela and the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) in the UK called „Unsilence the Crowd.“ They use sensors that vibrate when something happens on the field.
Fans had the opportunity to try out the jerseys for the first time in action on Saturday as Newcastle United hosted Tottenham Hotspur.
„For deaf individuals, it is really good to feel included – to feel connected and a part of it,“ said Newcastle fans Ryan Gregson and David Wilson through an interpreter to BBC Radio Newcastle. „We can see the atmosphere, but actually feeling the atmosphere, the jumping, and the crowd would be really great.“
RNID Director of Inclusion, Teri Devine, told the BBC that the new technology could have „real and lasting impact“ on deaf or hard of hearing sports fans. Peter Silverstone, Chief Commercial Officer of Newcastle, said the Unsilence the Crowd campaign could be „groundbreaking for football.“
„When Sela presented the idea and technology behind the haptic shirts, we immediately supported the concept, knowing it would have a big impact on our deaf or hard of hearing supporters,“ said Silverstone.
Sela, a sports events company based in Saudi Arabia, has committed to providing the technology to fans in need at all future Newcastle games in their home stadium, St. James‘ Park.
„St. James‘ Park is known for its noise and passion,“ said Ibrahim Mohtaseb, Senior Vice President of Sela, told the BBC. „Through this initiative, we hope to give deaf and hard of hearing fans the feeling of being a part of it.“
Sela also donated its sponsorship of the front of the jerseys for the game against Tottenham on Saturday to RNID.