The Memphis Grizzlies now lend tactile tablets to fans who are blind or have low vision at home games at FedExForum. The team announced Tuesday that it has five OneCourt devices. They are free to borrow and available first come, first served at the Guest Relations desk outside Section 102.
The Grizzlies’ announcement applies to home games. The team did not announce an advance reservation system or extend the program to concerts and other events at the arena. Anyone who wants to borrow one should ask at the desk on the Plaza Level. FedExForum’s accessibility page identifies Section 102 as a Guest Relations location and lists accessible entrances and seating information.
How fans follow the action
The tablet has a raised outline of the basketball court. OneCourt converts live game data into vibrations, letting a fan use touch to follow where the ball is moving. The Grizzlies say the device also provides audio updates about the action. The service is designed to give fans another way to follow play from their seats, with the layout of the court under their fingertips.
The tablets are different from the arena’s assistive listening devices. FedExForum lists those at Guest Relations outside Sections 102 and 202. The team’s announcement puts the five basketball tablets at Section 102 only. The difference matters if someone enters on the Terrace Level and needs to find the right desk before the game. The arena lists Plaza Level elevators near Sections 103 and 116, close to the pickup desk. Guests who need help planning a route can reach Guest Relations at 901-205-1535.
Where else the devices are turning up
Memphis joins other basketball venues that have offered the devices. Denver began lending them at Nuggets home games, as documented by Axios Denver. The NHL announced last week that it and Ticketmaster would offer free OneCourt tablets at major league events this season. That announcement covers those events and is separate from what individual arenas make available at regular home games.
For a Grizzlies game, the practical limit is the five units. The team has not promised a device for every fan who requests one. The tablets are a separate service from admission. The team lists game tickets separately, and the arena’s accessibility page explains how to arrange accessible seating. Fans can use the same page to check entrance and parking information before traveling to the arena.
