FC Red Bull Salzburg – Barrier-free accessibility programmes

FC Red Bull Salzburg – Barrier-free accessibility programmes

FC Red Bull Salzburg has implemented several programmes and achieved remarkable successes to make the Red Bull Arena completely accessible for everyone, especially the disabled fans. 

Being able to go and watch an FC Red Bull Salzburg home match is something many fans might take for granted. However, it is a lot harder for fans with disabilities – fans on wheelchairs and visually impaired fans in particular – to get into the Red Bull Arena.

FC Red Bull Salzburg understands their struggle and realises making the experience of football for disabled fans enjoyable without any inhibitions is the main focus. Continuous improvements have been made. Here are some examples at the Red Bull Arena:

Free access and discounts for disabled fans

Since 2013, FC Red Bull Salzburg has been granting free entrance to wheelchair users and people with severe disabilities to home matches at the Red Bull Arena (including national and international matches). Their accompanying persons (carer, nurse, etc) can also freely attend matches if they are noted on the disabled person’s ID. People with less severe disabilities are offered a discount for tickets.

Designated space for wheelchair users

As well as offering 45 designated disabled parking places on the east side of the stadium, the Red Bull Arena offers 65 covered spots for wheelchair users accessible at ground level. Just behind the spots and seats for accompanying persons are disabled toilets and plenty of refreshment points. There is a specialised steward there to look after fans on wheelchairs during their entire stadium visit.

Bundesliga ON EAR

In 2010, the Austrian Bundesliga launched a particularly valuable project for blind and visually impaired people.  With the Bundesliga ON EAR – Stadium Radio, the home matches of FC Red Bull Salzburg, SK Rapid Vienna, FK Austria Vienna and SK Puntigamer Sturm Graz are broadcast with so-called audio descriptions.

Specially trained commentators describe the full 90 minutes of the matches, allowing blind and visually impaired people the chance to follow the on-pitch goings on up to the very smallest detail – whether at the stadium or supporting the team at home.

A portable radio or mobile phone that receives radio can play Bundesliga ON EAR at the Red Bull Arena on the 87.5 MHz frequency.

Bundesliga chairman Christian Ebenbauer explains the motives of the initiative of the Bundesliga and its clubs as follows:

”With Bundesliga ON EAR, we want to bring a visit to a Bundesliga stadium closer to those people who have not been able to appreciate this in the past, or only partially so, due to a physical impairment.”

Results

Because of special initiatives for disabled fans, the club has gained remarkable success and recognition for their work.

According to a test conducted by the Austrian Association of Consumer Information (VKI) in 2016, FC Red Bull Salzburg was rated the best club, with the score of 96%. A total of 210 different categories were analysed, including the club website’s accessibility, the stadium’s accessibility and facilities for fans. This proves the club is on the right path of setting a benchmark in comprehensive service offering in Austrian football.

There has also been a fan club for people with disabilities, which has been working on providing important information to people with disabilities.