Victory! NAD Makes Touchdown in Groundbreaking Redskins Case
Posted October 2, 2008
In an opinion issued on September 30, 2008, a federal district court
in Maryland held that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
requires the Washington Redskins “to provide deaf and hard of
hearing fans equal access to the aural information broadcast over the
stadium bowl public address system at FedExField, which includes music
with lyrics, play information, advertisements, referee calls,
safety/emergency information, and other announcements.”
The lawsuit was brought in August 2006 on behalf of Redskins fans
Shane Feldman, Brian Kelly, and Paul Singleton, who are deaf or hard
of hearing and who regularly attend Washington Redskins home games at
FedExField. The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and Joseph B.
Espo of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP, represent the plaintiffs. The
court’s ruling requires that FedExField, the home of the Washington
Redskins, must provide auxiliary aids and services to make the
game-day experience fully accessible for deaf and hard of hearing
fans.
“This victory is the first of its kind and carries great
significance” said Nancy J. Bloch, NAD Chief Executive Officer.
“As the court recognizes, there are hundreds of stadiums, arenas,
and sports venues throughout the United States. This groundbreaking
decision is expected to have nationwide ripple effect as these
stadiums look to this decision for guidance on ADA requirements with
respect to the communication access needs of deaf and hard of hearing
consumers.”
“This is a tremendous breakthrough for deaf and hard of hearing
sport fans. This decision, supporting equal access, will benefit the
entire deaf and hard of hearing community, especially those who bleed
burgundy and gold,” said Mr. Feldman, referring to the colors of the
Washington Redskins team. “This outcome would not have been possible
without the valiant efforts of the NAD and Mr. Espo.”
“We expect that stadiums, arenas and other sports venues will take
heed and begin to follow the law on providing equal access to
individuals with disabilities, including providing equal access to
aural information for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing,”
said Mr. Espo.
“The court’s decision marks a significant victory for plaintiffs
and the deaf and hard of hearing community,” said Marc Charmatz, NAD
Senior Attorney. “The ADA applies to stadiums, and now a court, for
the first time, has recognized that deaf and hard of hearing fans have
a legal right to equal access at stadiums.”
The Court held that one disputed fact remained in the case –
whether captions displayed on the 50-yard line were effective for
audiovisual presentations displayed on JumboTrons located in the end
zones. The NAD is confident that this matter will be brought to a
successful closure.
About NAD
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) was established in 1880 by
deaf leaders who believed in the right of the American deaf community
to use sign language, to congregate on issues important to them, and
to have its interests represented at the national level. These beliefs
remain true to this day, with American Sign Language as a core value.
As a nonprofit federation, the mission of the NAD is to preserve,
protect, and promote the civil, human, and linguistic rights of deaf
and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America. The
advocacy scope of the NAD is broad, covering the breadth of a lifetime
and impacting future generations in the areas of early intervention,
education, employment, health care, technology, telecommunications,
youth leadership, and more. For more information, please visit
.
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