This month on Party in the Back we party with Sean Culkin, Adam Goldberg and Kristin Thompson.
Sean Culkin is a Board Member for Kulture City, a group that assists people of all ages who have sensory needs and encourages public venues to accommodate them. Kulture City is the nation’s leading nonprofit on sensory accessibility and acceptance for those with invisible disabilities.
As many as 1 in 6 individuals have a sensory sensitivity associated with crowds, lights, sounds, or smells that make public places like museums and stadiums overwhelming. Our March Podcast looks at Sensory Nights and related Autism Awareness Nights and how venues and event productions can balance their shows to accommodate these individuals.
Sean shares his personal story along with the work Kulture City is doing to create understanding and develop tools like Sensory Bags and Sensory Rooms for venues.
Then Adam Goldberg from the Maine Mariners and Kristin Thompson with the Tucson Roadrunners discuss how they build their Sensory Nights including adjustments and accommodations in lighting, audio and how the team interacts with fans. Adam also shares the value these nights provide to his staff and the interesting feedback they receive from fans that helps them with their game presentation for the rest of the season.
To be able to serve those fans is an incredible experience for our staff.
-Adam Goldberg
“I don’t know what we would need for an Autism Awareness Night. We need to find out. These groups tell us things and think I didn’t even know that would be an issue. To have these conversations just helps us as human beings. Beyond Autism Awareness I think it is just healthy for us to try to find out what fans are needing,” explained the Mariners’ Adam Goldberg.
Thank you for listening and sharing the podcast.
Related Links
- Last Month on the Podcast: Serial Podcast Guest Rob Wicall and Touring Act Kevin Shiflett drop into the Party in the Back to talk game presentation, winning promotions and balancing surf boards on your chin.
- One Year Ago on the first episode of the Party in the Back Podcast: Lara Smedley from My Fan Seats shifts from successful event business to pandemic cardboard fan cutouts with warp speed. We talk about the four ways cutouts are reshaping sports, plus creative ways teams are utilizing the cutouts. Plus Simon Sez Steve Max and Amanda Greco.
- Five Years Ago on The Gameops.com Podcast: Akron RubberDuck Promotions Coordinator Christina Urycki, Utah Jazz Play-by-Play David Locke and Pat Walker highlight the podcast.
- Kulture City website – Make the nevers possible.
- Sensory Bags from Kulture City – Sensory bags are designed to help sensory needs in both adults and children. Filled with items that can help lessen sensory overload and also engage, the bag items are also easily cleaned and sterilized for multiple uses.
- Learning about Sensory Inclusion from Kulture City – Sensory Inclusive™ Certification is available to venues, organizations, small businesses or caring individuals who want to learn more about sensory needs and how to better engage with individuals with sensory needs.
- Support Kulture City – Help make the nevers possible by supporting sensory accessibility and inclusion for ALL.
- Maine Mariners – News release on their Sensory Reduced game.
- Autism Society of Maine – Their mission is to promote lifelong access and opportunity for all individuals on the Autism spectrum to become participating members of their communities. Education, advocacy, support and public awareness form the cornerstones of the Autism Society of Maine’s efforts to carry forth our mission.
- Strive Autism Services – Offering programs like social skills building programs, reading readiness, classroom readiness, self-regulation skills, making better choices, work readiness, summer camps, parental supports, and staff trainings.
- Tucson Roadrunners
- Altoona Autism Night – Thoughtful sensory reduction in Altoona for Autism Acceptance Night.
- Autism Month in Rockford – Icehogs plan month long ASD Awareness Month.
- Sixers Inclusion Night – Sixers expand their Autism Night and add Sensory Room.
- Floss Cam in Buffalo – Sabres light up Key Bank Center with Floss Cam.
- Spectrum-Friendly Swamp Jerseys – Swamp Rabbits Tone it down for Sensory Night.
- High Five – Omaha Potholes (Storm Chasers) – High Five is a game review series from Gameops.com reviewing ways teams make their show great. This review is from the Omaha Storm Chasers on April 24th 2019, the night they became the Omaha Potholes.
Did you know sensory bags are available at any guest services booth.
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) November 30, 2019
Bags include:
◾ Noise Cancelling Headphones donated by @bose
◾ Mood chart
◾ Fidget toys
◾ KultureCity Badge pic.twitter.com/kaKcMkOgWX
RSS Feed: https://www.gameops.com/feed/podcast
The Party in the Back Podcast: If Sports Marketing was a mullet hairdo this podcast covers ‘The Party in the Back‘. We’ll let someone else do the data, analytics, spreadsheets and budgets… We’re talking about the FUN: In-game contests, theme nights, mascots, dancers, social media, atmosphere and giveaways. Join us at the Party in the Back for our monthly discussion with industry leaders on the fun side of Sports Marketing.
Time Codes
- coming soon
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