Arsenal have introduced British Sign Language at The Emirates to help deaf fans follow events much better at the stadium. Max Parsons a hearing impaired individual and lifelong Arsenal fan who has been going to games for decades, talked about the positive change this has brought to his matchday experience. Everything that happens is incorporated into the big screen via a British Sign Language interpreter. All pre match, half time, and post match content is much more accessible to deaf fans at the stadium with even player interviews now interpreted in BSL on the big screen.

Arsenal are the first club in England to implement this change. Another deaf fan, Christopher Clelland, was overjoyed and gave a comprehensive description of why he loves this change. “I’m fully deaf, my first language is British Sign Language, I’ve been coming to Arsenal Stadium since it opened and I’ve enjoyed it – it’s my number one, I love Arsenal. But a few deaf fans have been feeling left out and I was always missing information … but now I have full access, I can see it on the screen, or on the pitch. So it makes me feel included, and it’s so positive and so happy. I feel like part of the team and part of the family.”

Players have got in on the act too. January signing Jorginho is fluent in BSL and has made a video at the club explaining the importance of recognising BSL as a language in England, Scotland and Wales. The video is shown at The Emirates before each home game. Arsenal are also trying to include accessibility for disabled fans during away games and hope that other clubs will soon follow suit.