The Arizona Diamondbacks are stepping up to the plate in a major way for inclusivity, becoming the first team in Major League Baseball to serve up tactile broadcasts for blind and low-vision fans. The innovative technology is a partnership with OneCourt, the Seattle-based startup, and it’s a game-changer, literally allowing fans to feel the action on the field through a specialized device. The tactile tool, essentially a tablet, takes MLB's tracking data and brings it to life, transforming every hit, pitch, and play into a sensory experience one can get their hands on.
The Diamondbacks are committing to offering the tactile broadcasts for the rest of the 2025 season, with five devices ready to go for fans who need them. Accessibility isn't an afterthought here; it's right there in Section 128 at the Guest Relations Center, waiting to deeply connect fans to America's pastime in a way they've never been connected before. "OneCourt’s tactile broadcast is a brand-new piece of technology...providing spatial and tactile details through a series of vibrations," Taylor Merwin, coordinator of Community Relations and partner programs with the Diamondbacks, told ABC15.
If you score a ticket to a D-backs game, all it takes is hitting up the Guest Relations Center to reserve a device, or you can slide into Sharon Holmes' email in advance at [email protected], ABC15 reported. The team is also reaching out to nonprofits that serve the blind and low vision community, offering free tickets and reservations for the device. It's a responsible swing at making the ballpark more inclusive; a welcome home run in a world that often overlooks such needs.
The Diamondbacks aren't the only ones in the Valley playing ball with OneCourt. The Phoenix Suns and Mercury are also in on the act. One young Suns fan, 12-year-old Chris Lopez, was able to cheer his team with help from the tablet, according to AZFamily. It’s a clear sign that the accessibility ball is starting to roll, not just in baseball but across different sports leagues, providing a template that others are sure to soon follow, shifting the fan experience towards an inclusive future where everyone can enjoy the game in their way.
