Frecciarossa Supercoppa 2025: an inclusive and accessible final with the “Connect Me Too” audiodescription system
The Frecciarossa Supercoppa 2025 will not only be a great spectacle on the parquet but will also offer an unprecedented immersive experience in terms of inclusion. The final, which will be played on Sunday, September 28 at the Unipol Forum in Assago (Milan) between the winners of the semifinals (Dolomiti Energia Trentino vs Germani Brescia and Virtus Olidata Bologna vs EA7 Emporio Armani Milano), will become accessible to blind and visually impaired people thanks to the audiodescription of “Connect Me Too.” A gift that the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) wanted to give to its fans, showing great attention to inclusiveness and accessibility by the basketball world.
“Connect Me Too,” provided by technology partner CMT Translations, is a system that provides a hyper-descriptive chronicle of what is happening on the court, in the stands, and on the bench, through the voice of a specially trained audio descriptor who leaves out no detail. The goal is to bring people with visual impairments to a temple of basketball, engage them, let them experience the arena, amid choruses and sound suggestions, and make the game “visible” with immersive storytelling.
The operation of “Connect Me Too” is completely digital: an’App and that relies on the 5G (or 4G) network and is available on the stores (Apple Store or Play Store). Users, in possession of their own headphones or earbuds, will just have to request access to the event and be authorized by the promoter of the service, namely the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).
“The presence of “Connect Me Too” at the Supercoppa final reaffirms a clear principle: inclusion is an integral part of the game, not an ancillary element. Offering people the chance to experience and share the excitement of basketball means breaking down barriers and creating community. Thanks to Lega Basket Serie A, we can continue to pursue a path of innovation with people at the center,” says Tony D’Angelo, “Connect Me Too” project manager for CMT Translations.
The inclusive “Connect Me Too” system was born in 2019. Since then, it has been used on multiple occasions: in soccer, it has been employed by several Serie A and B clubs, including AC Milan, Inter, Juventus, Genoa, Lecce, Reggiana, Hellas Verona and Como 1907, and the Italian national team; in basketball, Libertas Livorno, Olimpia Milano and Pallacanestro Varese have used the service; in rugby, it has made its debut with the Italian national team.
