Attending a sporting event is quite the multisensory experience. There’s the sound of cheering fans, the smell of soft pretzels and hot dogs, and the sight of athletes making complex plays. But not everyone can experience all those elements, and for people who are blind or have low vision, keeping up with the ins and outs of a game can be particularly challenging.
Enter OneCourt: an innovative tablet making it easier for fans with impaired eyesight to enjoy sports. On Feb. 24, the Sacramento Kings announced that the devices would be available at every home game this NBA season, following in the footsteps of the Portland Trail Blazers, which put the tech into play in January. And this past summer, the MLB handed them out at the All-Star Game.
Described as “braille for sports,” the tablet pairs audio with haptic feedback, so users can track the action right as it happens. Its surface is a representation of the sport’s court or field, and different kinds of plays vibrate in different patterns. In a recent viral video, social media user Anthony S. Ferraro demonstrates the tech, proclaiming, “I’m about to watch the entire game through my fingers.”
“The ball is vibrating in real-time, and I can follow it on the court here with my hands,” Ferraro adds. “It tells me when someone shoots, and then if they make it, the hoop will vibrate twice.”
OneSport CEO Jerred Mace was inspired to create the tablet after an experience during his junior year at the University of Washington in 2021. He’d come across a video of a blind man at a soccer game who was seated next to a sighted woman. As the game progressed, the woman moved the man’s hands over a tactile game board. Realizing the potential for a digital application, Mace pooled resources at the university and set out bringing his idea to life.
Currently, the device supports basketball, football, and baseball but will be expanding to include hockey, soccer, and more. And the tablets will eventually be available for use in homes as well — anyone interested can join the waiting list to receive updates. In the meantime, the company is partnering with professional sports leagues to make OneSport available at more stadiums across the country.
“As a parent, it was wonderful to see my children enjoy a professional sporting event fully. We attempted a game last summer and the frustration and heartache the whole family felt as we realized this might be our last live sporting event together was gut-wrenching,” Leigh Ramsey, the parent of a OneCourt user, said in a statement. “This was amazing — inclusive, integrated, and not attention-drawing. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Ferraro summed up the experience succinctly in his post: “Two words: life-changing.”
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