Danish soccer club Brøndby IF’s match against Sønderjyske this week became the first game to be broadcast via its new permanent audio description service for fans both inside and outside the stadium. Working in close collaboration with the Danish Association of the Blind and the club’s main partner Betano, Brøndby IF’s new audio description service means that people with visual impairments can better follow matches from the stands and from their living rooms.
Brøndby IF becomes the first club in Denmark and the Nordics to launch a permanent audio description service for all the club’s home matches. The audio description service, available at radio.brondby.com, provides spoken narration of what happens on the pitch and around the match. A specially trained commentator describes the play, movements, atmosphere, and visual details, enabling people with visual impairments to follow the game and enjoy the best possible football experience.
“Brøndby IF is a unique community that must be accessible to everyone,” said Thomas Skov, marketing director and head of fan experience at Brøndby IF. “Therefore, we must open as many doors as possible into that community. With permanent audio description both at the stadium and for those listening from home, we are taking a very concrete step to make the matchday experience at our home games even more inclusive. As a Brøndby IF fan, you should feel welcome and part of the club’s community no matter what. As a club, we have a strong responsibility to remove the barriers that may stand in the way.”
Partnerships in action
To mark the launch of the new fan experience, members of the Danish Association of the Blind attended last night’s home match against Sønderjyske. The new service has received strong support and recognition from the Danish Association of the Blind.
“Audio description is about equal access to the community, and it means that even more people can experience football – including those who cannot follow the game visually,” said Diana Stentoft, National Chair of the Danish Association of the Blind. “Audio description makes a significant difference for blind and visually impaired people, as they are no longer dependent on random radio excerpts or constantly asking others what is happening on the pitch. We are therefore pleased that Brøndby IF is offering audio description at its home matches and thereby improving the opportunity for blind and severely visually impaired fans to follow the club’s games.”
Alongside the Danish Association of the Blind, Brøndby IF’s main partner Betano has played a key role in supporting and developing the new permanent audio description service. This launch marks the first step in a broader ambition by Brøndby IF and Betano to break down barriers in football.
The software behind Brøndby IF’s new audio description service is provided by the German company Mycrocast, which already delivers similar solutions to several teams in the German Bundesliga and Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam.
