Newcastle’s front-of-shirt sponsors Sela have revealed a special new kit that they hope will improve the matchday experience for deaf fans.
The new shirts, which will be worn by fans and mascots who are deaf or have hearing loss at Saturday’s match against Tottenham at St James’ Park, contain haptic technology, which creates the experience of touch by applying vibrations.
This will allow deaf supporters to experience the atmosphere at St James’ Park for the first time.
Sela have committed to providing the technology for all of Newcastle’s future home games, and have pledged to donate the sponsorship money from Saturday’s match to RNID, a charity that aids people across the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus.
In a moving video released ahead of Saturday’s game, two deaf Newcastle fans, David and Ryan, spoke about their experiences of watching their beloved team.
The lifelong fans declared that they couldn’t ‘imagine life without football’, adding that it means ‘everything’ to them.
However, they then explained how they’d ‘never heard the singing crowds, never heard a stadium roar’.
They added that ‘we see the atmosphere and the passion’, and Sela have now vowed to give them the opportunity to ‘experience their passion for football like never before’ this weekend.
The video concludes with one of the special shirts hanging up ready to be worn, with the blue lights from the haptic technology flashing.
Sela’s Senior Vice President, Ibrahim Mohtaseb, said of the new kit: ‘Ensuring every fan is able to experience the amazing atmosphere is so important to us as a sponsor of Newcastle United.
‘St. James’ Park is renowned for its noise and passion. Through this initiative we hope to enable deaf fans and fans with hearing loss to feel a part of this.
‘We would welcome the whole football family to join us by adopting the technology. By acting now, we can collectively make watching live football matches an incredible experience for.’
Teri Devine, Director for Inclusion at RNID, added: ‘One in five adults in the UK are deaf or have hearing loss, but people often face barriers in everyday life – including in live sports events.
It’s fantastic to see Sela and Newcastle United leading the way in championing this technology which has the potential to have a real and lasting impact on how people who are deaf and have hearing loss experience live sports.’
‘We’re excited to be part of this collaboration and we hope this exposure opens up conversations amongst football fans about hearing loss and encourages other football clubs to raise their game and make sure deaf fans are fully included.’
Saturday’s match promises to be a pivotal one for both teams as they chase European football for next season.
Newcastle are unbeaten in their last three matches and currently sit eighth, but just two points behind sixth-placed Manchester United.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are eyeing a return to the Champions League, and can take another step towards securing their place in next season’s competition with a win on the road.
