A More Accessible Serie B: Cesena Launches an Inclusive Audio Description Service
Serie BKT is becoming more accessible thanks to the efforts of Cesena FC, which has chosen to implement “Connect Me Too,” an inclusive audio description system that allows blind and visually impaired people to experience the excitement of a game at the stadium more fully and independently. The service is set to debut during the Cesena vs. Cremonese match, scheduled for Saturday, September 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the Orogel Stadium-Dino Manuzzi.
“Connect Me Too” provides professional, hyper-detailed audio description is provided by an audio describer who not only recounts the score, the flow of the action, or the goals, but also conveys all the visual details that are normally part of the stadium experience: the players’ movements on the field, their gestures, facial expressions, hairstyles, jersey colors, reactions on the bench, the atmosphere in the stands, and the crowd’s choreographed displays. It is an extremely accurate, real-time commentary that allows those who cannot see the game to form as complete a picture as possible of what is happening and to enjoy the incredible stadium experience.
“Connect Me Too,” developed by CMT Translations, is a fully digital platform designed and tested to engage blind and visually impaired people. The system uses the 4G/5G mobile network, with no delays. To access the audio description, fans with disabilities simply need to download the free “Connect Me Too” app onto their smartphone and have earbuds or headphones, along with the unique code provided by the club.““It’s truly exciting to be able to offer our visually impaired fans the chance to fully experience the game, and we’re equally proud to make this service available to the entire Bianconeri community.” It’s a small but significant step toward making our home stadium increasingly inclusive,” says Corrado Di Taranto, general manager of Cesena FC.
“Cesena FC has taken a crucial step toward a barrier-free stadium and truly universal access to the passion for soccer. We are proud to stand by their side as a technical partner in this great challenge of inclusion,” says Tony D’Angelo, executive project manager of “Connect Me Too” for CMT Translations.
For several years now, the “Connect Me Too” service has been used at major sporting events and by organizations with the strongest commitment to inclusion: Serie A, Serie B, and the national soccer team; basketball; the national rugby team; and winter sports, ranging from figure skating to hockey, and from skiing to snowboarding. The app is also used in cultural settings, such as theaters.
