Inside INdiana Business is reporting that in an interview with Business of Health Reporter Kylie Veleta, Stadium Director Eric Neuberger said the stadium wanted to make it a priority to accommodate those with sensory needs.“First and foremost, we want people to be able to come and enjoy an event at Lucas Oil Stadium and make memories,” said Neuberger. “And when we learned that there was this opportunity to make that easier for folks and families who might be coming who might be deterred from doing so, we thought we’d like to go ahead and try this.”
The sensory bags include a variety of items, such as noise canceling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards, and weighted lap pads. Neuberger says the entire staff at the stadium, which includes more than 800 people, received specialized training as well.
“I’m most proud of that. We had 832 of our game day staff, including our administrators, take the course where we got a chance to learn how to identify folks who may be experiencing this, and also how to best interact so that people can continue to enjoy the show or sporting event.”
Lucas Oil Stadium recently hosted the monster truck event Monster Jam, which was the first event since the venue began offering the sensory bags. Neuberger says 16 people checked out the sensory bags and the stadium received very positive feedback.
“We take our status as the largest public venue in the state very seriously and we know that’s a big responsibility and so we do hope that our leadership on this, along with other venues, will help all venues in the state will become welcoming to folks who may find use in this.”