https://iroamtours.co.uk/a-few-good-reasons-why-every-football-team-needs-a-sensory-room/
This link will take you to the Watford FC "Sensory Room" (below) which is one example of what football clubs are providing for children (mainly), who need an "inclusive", calming atmosphere around them to enjoy watching their favourite team play. Imaging the sensory problems that autistic children may have when a football match is in full flow. The sensory room provides a calming environment for them to enjoy and feel safe during a full scale professional match.
Nathan Shippey, a Sunderland fan, is one such young man whose "Shippey Campaign" has enabled those supporters, with disabilities, to benefit from a petition which gathered enough support from local special schools and families, to persuade the club to provide a "safe environment" to make the Stadium of Light inclusive since 2015. It shows that the club values all fans' needs with calm lights and music, comfy furniture in a safe environment and hopefully some joy on the pitch.
The Premier League, BT, the Shippey Campaign and the Lord's Taverners have formed a support group to provide more stadia with these facilities. During the week, the facility is made available to local schools whose children need these special rooms, drawing in the local community.
See this link: https://www.premierleague.com/video/single/574746 and this comment from the Shippey family who has innovated the ground breaking concept of Sensory Viewing Rooms in Sports Stadia in 2014.
The Shippey family said "Our sons were the inspiration for this move and all efforts are voluntary. They wanted to watch football at their local grounds, so in May 2014, armed with ear defenders, headphones with his favourite music, hats, ear plugs, and bag full of home comforts, his dad and he went off to his first match. IT WAS NOT SUCCESSFULL! By the time the second half started, the family was on its way home. Nathan couldn't cope with the noise and atmosphere."
"We have been heavily involved with each permanent sensory viewing room in clubs and following the development at Sunderland AFC, we are thrilled to say that our contact with Notts County came to fruition with the development of three sensory viewing rooms which opened on 3rd September 2016 and Watford FC opened the first sensory viewing room in the South of England on 10th December 2016.
On 18th February 2017, the first sensory room in Scottish football opened at Airdrieonians FC, which we are very proud to be part of. Following on, more recently, we were thrilled to be a huge part of Middlesbrough’s fantastic facility which officially opened on the 19th March and of course the ball keeps rolling in Scotland with a second Scottish club. Our sixth club was Rangers FC after we met and hosted representatives in January 2016, their room, Broxis Den opened its doors on the 1st April 2017, this was followed by Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar – in preparation for the Qatar World Cup 2022, following a presentation that we did at the Beyond Sport event in London in October 2016, we met with three architects who were in the process of discussing stadia in Qatar. We were thrilled to receive an email thanking us for our presentation and sharing the wonderful news of the first room in Qatar."
"West Bromwich Albion and Southampton are another two clubs to add to our list of achievements. The next club to provide outstanding facilities were Arsenal FC who have been an absolute pleasure to support, guide and advise. They opened their two viewing rooms (see below)and a wonderful sensory haven on 25th September 2017, at which we were honoured to be in attendance. Local St John's Upper Holloway School uses the facility too."
"Also in 2017 Everton had their room fitted out by Experia. We visited Everton a couple of times before they applied for the grant and created their facility. Celtic FC were next to invite us to their stadium to discuss creating facilities, after being in contact with the club for a long period of time."
Followed by the announcement of the opening of Liverpool FC’s room: https://www.levelplayingfield.org.uk/news/liverpool-fc-launch-sensory-room-anfield
Crystal Palace joined the clubs making their stadium accessible to those with sensory difficulties, by developing two rooms, one with a view. In May 2018 Chelsea Football Club opened their sensory viewing room. Following email contact from ourselves and having initially contacted Diane Piggott, we were passed to Jamie Gray and supported them, answering any questions they needed guidance with. Making a North East hat trick, Newcastle United have now developed a sensory room – a new addition for season 2018/19 The 16th September 2018 was a day to remember for us as Peter travelled to Coventry to attend a launch at the Ricoh Arena. Wasps rugby club opened their sensory viewing room! This was to be the first sensory viewing room in the world of rugby – another huge breakthrough for The Shippey Campaign. During 2019 there was further progression with Tottenham, Brighton and Manchester City opening their rooms."
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