Advocates for deaf sue Commanders

[WoodysGirl]

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) -- Advocates for the deaf are suing the Washington Commanders to get them to offer closed-captioning during games at FedEx Field.

The National Association of the Deaf filed the class-action lawsuit Aug. 31 in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt on behalf of three Maryland fans who regularly attend home games.

"Providing captioning is not rocket science; it is simple, and it is the right thing to do," Shane Feldman said in a statement. Fedlman was joined in the suit by Paul Singleton and Brian M. Kelly.

They contend the team is violating the Americans With Disabilities Act by failing to provide captioning for the deaf and hearing-impaired. It asks the court to order the Commanders and stadium officials to provide and display captioning on scoreboards and video monitors for all announcements, plays and penalties.

NFL teams are not required by law to do so.

Commanders spokesman Karl Swanson said the team considered a proposal to purchase captioning equipment, but the proposal was rejected by Feldman.

Feldman was concerned about a possible 10-minute delay, said Marc Charmatz, senior attorney with the National Association for the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center.

Swanson said the Commanders are considering providing deaf and hearing-impaired fans with 7-inch TVs that would pick up captioning in the stadium.
He added that all emergency information is posted on the large screens and on TV monitors throughout the stadium.

LINK

 

[Danny White]

Now we just need deaf indians to launch a mega-suit against them!

 

[superpunk]

Maybe they could sell those obstructed-view seats to the blind. Then they could offend freaking everyone.

 

[Gryphon]

Sep 20, 3:15 PM EDT
Advocates for Deaf Sue Commanders

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) -- Advocates for the deaf are suing the Washington Commanders to get them to offer closed-captioning during games at FedEx Field.

The National Association of the Deaf filed the class-action lawsuit Aug. 31 in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt on behalf of three Maryland fans who regularly attend home games.

"Providing captioning is not rocket science; it is simple, and it is the right thing to do," Shane Feldman said in a statement. Fedlman was joined in the suit by Paul Singleton and Brian M. Kelly.

They contend the team is violating the Americans With Disabilities Act by failing to provide captioning for the deaf and hearing-impaired. It asks the court to order the Commanders and stadium officials to provide and display captioning on scoreboards and video monitors for all announcements, plays and penalties.

NFL teams are not required by law to do so. Commanders spokesman Karl Swanson said the team considered a proposal to purchase captioning equipment, but the proposal was rejected by Feldman.

Feldman was concerned about a possible 10-minute delay, said Marc Charmatz, senior attorney with the National Association for the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center.

Swanson said the Commanders are considering providing deaf and hearing-impaired fans with 7-inch TVs that would pick up captioning in the stadium. He added that all emergency information is posted on the large screens and on TV monitors throughout the stadium.

 

[ghst187]

the deaf skins' fans need to sue to get a better owner and team before they whine about not being able to read:
"Brunnel sacked again...."
"Brunnel throws the ball away again..."
"Penalty on Sean Taylor..again"
"Commanders lose to the Cowboys....again"

 

[lurkercowboy]

Captioning on the scoreboard?

 

[YosemiteSam]

How about Braille touch pads on all seats for the blind also? :

 

[Danny White]

When it comes to this example, the deaf are lucky. FedEx is notorious for having loud, obnoxious commericals play over the loudspeakers during all the breaks. They're not missing anything.

Besides, you can always see what the down and distance are, so if you're paying attention, you know what's going on.

 

[tomson75]

the deaf skins' fans need to sue to get a better owner and team before they whine about not being able to read:
"Brunnel sacked again...."
"Brunnel throws the ball away again..."
"Penalty on Sean Taylor..again"
"Commanders lose to the Cowboys....again"

So true.

One of my best friends is deaf, and a skins fan. We were at our local watering hole this sunday for the game. He constantly asked what was happening during breaks in the game. Seemed like every time he asked me something, i had to cover the sh!* eating grin on my face and tell him about something stupid the skins had done. Needless to say, he wasn't happy. He stopped short of punching me in the face, but i think thats because i had around twenty people in line already ready to do so.

 

[HighTechDave]

simple, offer them a portable TV with closed caption capability.

gawd

 

[28bringinthewood]

Woooaaahhhh... hold on a second.... this really hits home with me.....

My parents are deaf (Dad was a HUGE Cowboys fan... and still is, but he's watching from the best seats in Heaven... mom is a huge Cowboys fan too). Gallaudet University is located in Washington... Gallaudet is a university for the deaf. With that said, there are MANY deaf people located in Washington. I guarantee you, not all are skins fans. My moms best friend went to Gallaudet and believe me she wore her Cowboys gear there with PRIDE!

I challenge you all to watch a game with NO VOLUME. Believe me, you will not like it... I know what comes next... the snickers because many of the commentators are so dang annoying.... but seriously.... no volume... one game.... you still will have no clue what deaf people go through. They deserve closed captioning... yes even on the score board (why should they pay to go to a game and watch it on a "portable t.v." yep, that makes sense )

I want you to know, I am not by any means trying to be rude, but like I said... my parents are deaf, I have an aunt and uncle that are deaf (yep COWBOYS fans too) and I have spent 14 of my 34 years working with deaf children. Believe me, the deaf NEED to be fighting for their rights. You would not believe how their rights are stomped on.

 

[lurkercowboy]

I watch a lot of games using closed captioning. The biggest problem with it is that the captioning lags behind the action. They do the best they can, but being a live broadcast, there is only so much that the typists can do. It comes in handy for injury reports and verbal things like that. It doesn't help a lot for normal game action.

I am all for more info on the scoreboards and I think that all fans would agree. I am for anything that helps the fans know more about what is going on in the game, even Commander fans.

 

[ZeroClub]

So true.

One of my best friends is deaf, and a skins fan. We were at our local watering hole this sunday for the game. He constantly asked what was happening during breaks in the game. Seemed like every time he asked me something, i had to cover the sh!* eating grin on my face and tell him about something stupid the skins had done. Needless to say, he wasn't happy. He stopped short of punching me in the face, but i think thats because i had around twenty people in line already ready to do so.

That's a great story.


I've accompanied a blind acquaintance to a football game once, and provided play-by-play through the game. It was fun, but also kind of exhausting.

 

[Rampage]

atleast the Commanders money will go to something worth it

 

[jackrussell]

On an unrelated note....a class action suit was filed against the Commanders by representatives of smart Commanders fans for 10 million dollars.

Should they succed, the money apparently would have to be donated to charity.

 

[Jimz31]

The real problem here is that Skinz fans are not only deaf but they can't read either....so I don't really know what good this will do.

 

[tunahelper]

What??????????

 

[CowboysNumeroUno]

A little offtopic but...

There is close captioning on the new UT jumbotron, and before I saw it at the first game I never really thought about having to watch a football game without being able to hear anything. I think it is a very good idea.

 

[Cochese]

A little offtopic but...

There is close captioning on the new UT jumbotron, and before I saw it at the first game I never really thought about having to watch a football game without being able to hear anything. I think it is a very good idea.

Why would anyone need to read that a pass was completed for 5 yards when they could um...actually WATCH it happen themselves or look at the score board for the down and distance? Just another frivilous lawsuit in the good ole USA. The majority of the time I am watching a game, i mute the clowns that are doing play by play anyway.

 

[Wolfpack]

A lot of stuff seems silly or odd but the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) pretty much requires equal treatment for all folks...especially in public areas. Most building codes enforce part or some of the act but it is a civil act which means it is really enforcable only by civil suit. Which sounds like what is happening.