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Level Playing Field: A year in review 2022

In this review, we look back at some highlights from the last 12 months, including some of the best fan stories Level Playing Field covered in 2022.

Welcome to this overview of 2022, a year that has been like no other.

We have seen disabled fan representation in the English parliament and the French Senate.

There have been ‘ biggest of its kind’ disability fan surveys that provide mixed results regarding access and inclusion of disabled sports fans.

We saw it finally come home, thanks to England’s Lionesses, and towards the end of the year, we witnessed one of the most controversial sporting events, with the first winter World Cup disrupting many disabled people’s matchday ‘norms’. For some supporters, this World Cup will be remembered for off-the-pitch actions, such as one of the most powerful men in the world of football claiming to understand disability due to having red hair as a child!

Gianni Infantino’s ‘I Feel’ speech served as a stark reminder that there is a lot of work to do to educate disabled and non-disabled people regarding disability inclusion and that we must continue to do more to ensure the voice of disabled fans are elevated.

In 2023 we must all #UniteForAccess to deliver the most significant change.

We look forward with optimism and determination to contribute to that change.


January

Away Fan Survey Launched

Level Playing Field started the year with a first! With the launch of the 1st ever ‘Away Fan Survey’.

The survey asked disabled supporters about their experiences of attending away matches.

It asked fans about their travel to away matches, their access requirements, and what some of the potential barriers are that they face when attending away matches. The survey also allows respondents to rate various aspects of their away matchday experiences.

As with our annual fan survey last summer, the results were shared with clubs, which should provide an insight into the experiences of disabled supporters at away matches across the country. This will give clubs a much better idea of what needs to be done to improve away matchdays for disabled fans.

The research findings can be found later on in this article.

The Level Playing Field podcast: Altrincham Audio Descriptive Commentary

On 27th  December 2021, the Level Playing Field podcast presenter and Fan’s Liaison Officer Liam Bird travelled to Altrincham to witness Audio Descriptive Commentary (ADC) history!

This was the first time in England or Wales that a visiting team (Wexham AFC) would provide its own ADC service to a home club as well as its travelling fans.

In this episode, Liam speaks to:

  • Steve Gilbert (Chair of the Wrexham Disabled Supporters Association)
  • Brian Flynn (Altrincham’s Press & Media Officer)
  • Alan Fox & Alex Carter (AFC Wrexham Audio Descriptive Commentary team)
  • Neil & Lora Fachie (Paralympic gold-winning medallists and Altrincham fans who benefited from the service provided)

Listen to the podcast on the following platforms:


February

Weeks of Action 2022 – Launch

In February, we launched Level Playing Field’s Weeks of Action 2022, highlighting the importance of attending live sport #ForDisabledSportsFans. After a very difficult period, this year, we celebrated the return of supporters.

In a first Level Playing Field commissioned an animation video to capture the power of attending live sport.

(Video Link in Story) https://youtu.be/Pi1yFI5U8NQ

Tony Taylor, Level Playing Field Chair, said of the campaign: “The importance of live sport on an individual’s well-being goes far deeper than just watching a match. It offers a sense of community and togetherness that combats isolation and provides many benefits.

“The past two years have demonstrated that not going to watch your team and instead watching, for some, alone at home has a significant impact on a person’s well-being. That’s why this year, we are excited and determined to highlight the importance of fans being back in their seats cheering on their team.

“It’s also important to recognise that clubs have missed their loyal fan base. We have seen during the pandemic clubs across the country have gone above and beyond to support their fans and should be commended. These two weeks also celebrates the bond between a club and its supporters.

“Watching or having the opportunity to watch live sport in person should never be underestimated. For some, it’s everything and together, we can unite for access for all.”

To read the full article – Click Here.


March

Weeks of Action 2022 – In full swing

Disabled Fans, Disabled Supporter Associations, Clubs and Governing Bodies across England and Wales backed the campaign and celebrated the return of supporters.

Huddersfield Town launch inclusion room

As part of Level Playing Field’s annual Weeks of Action campaign, Huddersfield Town took the opportunity to mark the launch of their new inclusion room for supporters with additional and specific needs. Click Here for the full article

Plymouth Argyle invites local school children to Weeks of Action matchday

Students of the Saltash Community School – a local SEN school – were invited to Plymouth Argyle’s dedicated Weeks of Action matchday. Click Here for the full article.

Alex’s Derby Story

Derby County fan Alex Steward opens up about her disability and experiences watching the Rams as part of the club’s Weeks of Action celebrations. Click Here for the full article.

Accessible travel delivers ‘amazing’ Wembley experience for Reds fans

Liverpool utilised the Premier League’s Jumbulance bus to take a number of disabled fans to the Carabao Cup final at Wembley. Click Here for the full article.

World Autism Acceptance Week: Kieron’s West Brom matchday

During World Autism Acceptance Week, Level Playing Field sat down with fans and clubs to chat about experiences with autism at live sports events.

West Bromwich Albion released a video following Kieron’s matchday experience at The Hawthorns as the Baggies played Swansea City in their dedicated Weeks of Action match.

The film kicks off with Kieron’s dad explaining why it can be difficult attending matches with Kieron – who has autism – because of the prospect of finding a way out if he had any triggers during the game. To learn more on what the club does to support Kieran and other fans, Click Here


April

The Level Playing Field podcast: Talking to the sports media

In this episode, we turned our attention to sports media and ask the question, is disability being spoken about in the press at the same level as the other protective characteristics (race, sexuality, gender), or even at all?

To answer these questions, we have a round table of sports journalists, including Nate Williams, Jordan Jarrett Bryan, and Harry De Cosemo.

Listen to the podcast on the following platforms…


May

Cath Dyer wins EFL Supporter of the Season award

Secretary of Swansea City’s disabled supporter’s association (DSA), Cath Dyer, was awarded the EFL Supporter of the Season at the latest EFL awards.

Cath was one of three supporters nominated for the award, alongside Luton Town fan Mark Crowther, and Burton Albion fan Sue Taylor.

On the night Cath was presented with the award, it was announced on the EFL website with the following description: “Cath is recognised for her sterling work, liaising between the club and fans, in particular her contributions for the Swans’ Disabled Supporters’ Association.” Read More Here

Letter sent to the UK Government regarding UEFA Champions League Final

Chair of Level Playing Field Tony Taylor writes a letter to the Secretary of The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Sports Minister

“Dear Secretary of State

I am sure you are aware that Level Playing Field (a registered charity) actively campaigns and represents the views of disabled fans across a number of sports. The majority of our work is, of course, football-based.

May I say I welcome your comments regarding the appalling scenes we witnessed at the Champions League Final. We are grateful for your request to UEFA for a full and thorough investigation of what could have potentially been a catastrophic sequence of events.

We have now seen crowd trouble at two major finals (Euro 2020 and the Champions League Final). Unfortunately, it was reported that disabled fans were caught up in the issues witnessed pre-game at both of these major sporting events. We wish to ensure that relevant questions and observations around disabled fans’ safety are appropriately made and considered, and we would be pleased to discuss this with you.”

Click Here for the full letter.

Level Playing Field away fan survey results

The results from the Level Playing Field away fan survey were released in May, and show a significant number of supporters are not getting what they pay for when travelling to away fixtures. Nearly 50% of respondents said that poor views were barriers to attending away matches, while 28% of respondents have stated that not being in the away end with their own fans contributed to a poor away matchday experience. An additional 23% said that the lack of disability awareness from other fans contributes to a negative away day experience.

To read the full report Click Here


June

‘A huge step forward for thousands of colour blind fans’ – EFL clubs could wear away kits at home

English Football League clubs could be allowed to wear their away kits while playing at home next season under a rule change designed to help colour blind people. Click Here for the full story.

Level Playing Field calls on UEFA to expand its independent review

Level Playing Field called on UEFA to widen its review into the Champions League Final to include why wheelchair user spaces were used to house media and potentially corporate guests. Click Here for more


July

The Level Playing Field supporter matchday guide – Launched

What time should I get to the stadium? How do I get tickets? Can I park? Will I be welcomed? Ahead of the new season, Level Playing Field has produced a guide for disabled football supporters and personal assistants attending their first match. Click Here to view the guide

Annual fan survey 2022 – Launched

Level Playing Field launched its latest annual fan survey, to be completed by disabled sports fans to give the charity valuable insight into the matchday experiences of supporters in England and Wales.

The research findings can be found later on in this article.


August

MK Dons presented Level Playing Field’s ‘best away fan experience’ award

On Saturday 6 August MK Dons were officially awarded English football’s ‘best away fan experience’ for disabled supporters at their home match against Sheffield Wednesday at Stadium MK.

Level Playing Field (LPF) conducted a survey asking supporters to vote for their top away-day experience across the Premier League, EFL, and the National League, with the home of MK Dons earning the most selections.

Chief Executive of LPF Owain Davies attended MK Dons’ match with Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, and presented the club with the award at half-time.

LPF have shared some of the comments from the survey relating to Stadium MK:

“My experience at MK Dons was excellent. Nothing was too much trouble for them, and they went out of their way to help. No problem getting an audio commentary set, and I’m pretty sure (can’t remember for certain), that a steward came to me and checked everything was ok. All the stewards seem to be disabled aware and offered help as and when necessary. Great day out” – Jo Pascoe

To read more Click Here


September

In September, we saw the unfortunate passing of the Queen and sport came together to celebrate her life.

The Premier League and EFL fixtures postponed as mark of respect to Queen Elizabeth II

Following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Premier League and English Football League fixtures have been postponed this weekend. Further updates during the period of mourning will be provided in due course. Read more Here

Let’s Unite For Access!

Level Playing Field revealed ‘Unite For Access’ will be the new name of the annual flagship campaign.

Unite For Access will be the new name of the Level Playing Field national campaign, replacing the previous name ‘Weeks of Action’.

Unite For Access will raise awareness and drive equality for a more inclusive matchday experience for disabled sports fans.

Over the campaign we will focus on the matchday experience of disabled supporters, recognising why watching live sport is so important, and what clubs do to deliver this as we come together to #UniteForAccess.

Click Here for more


October

In October, Level Playing Field teamed up with Transport for All to discuss all things travel and look at the barriers disabled people face when travelling in general and as sports fans.

Listen to the podcast on the following platforms…


November

It was a busy month with a number of announcements and releases taking place. We also heard from a lot of fans who provided insights into their matchday experience.

Level Playing Field 2022 annual fan survey results

The 2022 Level Playing Field annual fan survey gathered the real-life matchday experience of over a thousand disabled sports fans to help drive change toward better access and inclusion at sports stadia.

Key findings include:

  • The amount of fans for whom ‘Attitudes of others is a barrier when attending live sport’ has almost doubled. The figure jumped from 15% in 2021 to 28.5% this year.
  • Over a quarter of disabled fans said that ‘anxiety or lack of confidence is a barrier when attending live sport’. This was an increase from last year – rising from 24.5% to 26.5% – despite covid-19 restrictions abating.
  • There was also a significant increase in the number of fans for whom ‘difficulty purchasing tickets’ was a barrier. This rose from 17% of fans in 2021 to 24% this year.
  • The number of disabled fans who said they are unable to attend certain sports or sporting venues due to lack of accessibility has increased to 36.5%. This is a significant increase from 30.5% in 2021.

Level Playing Field chair Tony Taylor said: “This Level Playing Field annual fan survey provides a great insight into the experiences of disabled supporters as they attend live sport.

“We are grateful to the 1309 fans who took the time to share their experiences with us. It is our hope and expectation that their responses will serve to bring about improvements to services and facilities as clubs see their feedback and comments.”

To read the Full Report Click Here

Level Playing Field welcomes former England international coach Roy Hodgson CBE as Patron.

Level Playing Field was delighted to announce former England manager Roy Hodgson CBE is to be its Patron.

An influential figure in the game, boasting an impressive coaching career, Roy began his career in Sweden and went on to manage clubs with great success across Europe and, of course, in the Premier League.

Level Playing Field’s President, David Bernstein CBE, himself a former Chair of the Football Association, said: “It is great for us to have Roy on board.

“The legacy he has in football and sport is admirable and will be integral as the charity continues to work towards future missions and aims”.

Roy said: “I am really proud to join Level Playing Field as their new Patron.

“The work it does is vital in ensuring disabled sports fans are rightly included and have an equal opportunity to watch football and other sports.

“Over my years managing, I have looked up into the stands and have seen visible improvements in infrastructure as well as in stadium facilities for disabled fans but clearly, there is a lot more to do.”

‘Degrading, disrespectful and dangerous’ – Level Playing Field statement in response to Gianni Infantino’s press conference

Level Playing Field responds to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s ‘degrading, disrespectful and dangerous’ I feel disabled’ comments during his press conference ahead of the World Cup in Qatar. Click Here for the full response.


December 

International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Key dates that improved matchdays for disabled fans

Level Playing Field continues to champion and celebrate disability which we have done over the years and past few weeks with Disability History Month. We took the opportunity to look back over the last ten years and recognise the improvements and significant milestones reached, which has played a part in improving the matchday experience for disabled fans.

Click Here for the full article.

The Level Playing Field podcast: Ed’s Disability History Month special

Level Playing Field has been celebrating disability as part of Disability History Month.

We continue our celebration down at Brighton & Hove Albion.

Fans Liaison Officer Liam Bird takes a trip down to the south coast to meet up with Brighton super fan Ed Osborne for the first time after striking up a friendship born out of the COVID pandemic.

Listen to the podcast on the following platforms…

We sign off the year with a couple of sneak peek images from 3 days of filming for the upcoming 2023 Unite For Access campaign video.

In a year which has been challenging for many reasons, we are grateful for everyone’s support.

To all the disabled supporters’ associations (DSAs) and disabled fans that we work alongside and represent, we thank you for your continued support and commitment to raising your matchday experiences to bring about positive change and to reinforce what’s done well.

Thanks to the clubs, Disability Access Officers (DAOs), Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs), non-disabled supporter groups and governing bodies for your continued cooperation in working together to bring about greater access and inclusion, but we all know there is much more to do.

In 2023 we must focus on a new page of progress. Continue to raise the standards, reflect on the benchmarks in place, engage with disabled fans and look to go further.