Sports teams adopt tactile tech for blind and low-vision fans

During a break at the March 2 game between the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves, a player made a half-court shot that had the crowd buzzing at PHX Arena. Normally, that’s something Jordan Moon would’ve missed; as a blind person, he’d have to ask somebody else what just happened.

But while he didn’t see the shot, he could feel it. Moon was part of a group from Saavi Services for the Blind that was testing devices designed to help blind and low-vision people follow the game at their fingertips. The tactile tablets, made by Seattle-based startup OneCourt, modeled the layout of the basketball court and vibrated wherever the ball moved or something happened. A free throw, for instance — or a half-court shot.

When the ball swished through the net, the tablet vibrated. Moon and the group cheered along with the rest of the crowd.

“That was really cool, actually, because that was just something that wasn’t even a part of the game,” Moon, Saavi’s Phoenix center director, told CNBC. “It was just a part of the fan experience.”

Enhancing the fan experience for blind and low-vision people is the mission of OneCourt and other accessible tech startups, which in the past few years have partnered with pro sports franchises to bring their technology to fans at live venues.

Rollouts of these devices are still in the early stages, but they’re gaining steam. The devices are typically available at no cost to visitors, with a limited number available at each game, and they’ve reached organizations like Major League Baseball, the Premier League and the Olympics.

OneCourt has the largest footprint in the U.S. The startup, founded in 2021, broke through in mid-2024 when it partnered with T-Mobile and MLB to distribute its tablets at the All-Star Game.

After running a pilot program with OneCourt in 2024, the Portland Trail Blazers in January announced they would be the first professional sports team to feature OneCourt devices at all home games through the end of the season. The Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns followed suit.

Jerred Mace, founder and CEO of OneCourt, said the company views itself as the first “tactile broadcaster,” emphasizing the level of detail provided by the tablet’s pixel-like surface. With that mission in mind, he wants to introduce OneCourt into users’ homes in 2026.

“Our position as a broadcaster, I think it just broadens the view of accessible sports experiences,” Mace said. “No matter where you are, you want to be able…