According to a new survey, the risk of abuse is preventing more disabled fans from attending sporting events than ever before. The Level Playing Field organisation has done annual surveys for four years. The percentage of fans claiming disability mistreatment as a barrier has never been higher (8.5%). That’s despite the survey having a record amount of replies this year, with 2,055 from a total of 1,924 supporters.
Some people respond for more than one side they support. The most recent yearly report for 2023-24 is from the anti-discrimination charity. Kick It Out revealed a 35% increase in the number of reports of ableist abuse compared to the previous season. According to the 2024 Level Playing Field statistics, which was published on Tuesday afternoon. The attitudes of others were the second most significant barrier to attendance for 26% of respondents.
The report looked at a variety of concerns related to the live sports experience for impaired viewers. A fifth of respondents said they would benefit from the ability to pay in cash at events. While more than a quarter (26.5%) said they would benefit from having a physical ticket. Almost half of respondents (47%) stated they attended a match most weeks, up 2% from 2023.
Sports Have Fallen in Disability Inclusion
However, there was a 4% decline from 34% to 30%. In those who said they attended once or twice a month, the proportion of fans who regularly attend live sports was still significantly lower overall. Physical access to stadiums was the most generally cited obstacle to attendance (33%), although cost worries increased the most this year compared to the previous, from 5.5% to 22.5%.
24.5 percent of respondents had difficulty obtaining tickets, while 24% reported worry or a lack of confidence. Twenty-two percent stated they have been unable to attend a sports event or venue due to inaccessibility, the lowest rate in the survey’s four-year history. One-fifth of disabled fans assessed their encounters with stewards as inadequate. According to the research, the 2024 ratings are “notably worse” than those for 2023.
