To discuss making the team more accessible, Coventry City FC met with supporters who are disabled.
The goal is to establish a Disabled Supporters’ Association (DSA) led by fans so that they may voice issues.
The Coventry Building Society Arena hosted a meeting on Wednesday night where about thirty people showed up to talk about parking and stadium access, among other things.
Level Playing Field’s Liam Bird reported that supporters had a “really good appetite” to get engaged.
Matt Nunn, a supporter with visual impairment, told BBC CWR that getting from his car to home games might be “quite stressful”.
“Around the stadium there are dropped kerbs and tactile pavements but there’s nothing tactile which leads you into the arena,” he stated.
“It does make life quite difficult to get through a sea of people if they don’t know that there’s a route that needs to be taken for someone that’s visually impaired.”
The organization Level Playing Field, which advocates for the removal of obstacles for athletes with disabilities and offers advice on the subject, audited Coventry’s home field last year.
Coventry Building Society Arena’s managing director, Paul Michael, stated that the venue was “actively working through” the charity’s report’s recommendations and was dedicated to ensuring that the stadium was accessible to everyone.
“We look forward to working with Coventry City and listening to any supporters’ groups about how we can continue to improve the experience for all visitors,” he stated.
Mr. Bird is assisting with the DSA’s setup and called the meeting “fantastic”.
“[Volunteers] want to bring about better access and inclusion for fans who are attending football at that stadium,” stated Bird.
In a statement, Coventry City FC said that this season, the number of season ticket holders with disabilities increased by 40%.
It was further said in the statement that the DSA would “work towards building a stronger relationship and effective communication between us, as a club, and also non-disabled fans.”
According to Mr. Bird, there are perhaps 60 societies for fans with disabilities at teams throughout England and Wales.
