Professional sports teams have largely moved to accommodate the needs of fans with sensory issues, but many venues still fall short when it comes to addressing a range of other needs for fans living with conditions known as invisible or nonapparent disabilities, according to a nationwide ESPN survey.
Tens of millions of Americans live with conditions that are not immediately apparent but significantly impact their daily lives, including autism, brain injuries, autoimmune diseases, chronic pain, mental health conditions, and loss of hearing and vision.
Invisible disabilities are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, a 1990 law that prohibits discrimination and requires stadiums, arenas and other venues to provide accommodations. But those efforts largely focus on physical accessibility features such as wheelchairs, ramps and elevators.
“People think, ‘Hey, let’s just do the minimum, we have X number of wheelchair seats, that’s good enough,'” said Sherri Privitera, senior principal and senior architect at…
