Exploring the accessibility of sport stadia for people with disability: towards the development of a Stadium Accessibility Scale (SAS)
Sport, Business and Management
ISSN: 2042-678X
Article publication date: 21 January 2022
Issue publication date: 25 February 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to synthesise existing literature on sports stadia, spectators with disabilities (SwD) and accessibility to identify themes and to highlight the gaps in the literature. This review subsequently develops two propositions that will enable research in this emerging area to further develop.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was guided by two research questions: First, what does the peer reviewed evidence tell us about SwD and the accessibility of sporting stadia?; Second, how can this information be used to develop a Stadium Accessibility Scale (SAS)? The authors conducted a rapid review of the literature across three databases that identified 34 papers for synthesis.
Findings
The synthesis revealed three research themes: a focus on legislative compliance, the need to enhance resources (both physical and human) and research that focusses on moving beyond the stadium experience. The latter can be subdivided into two streams – studies that look at accessibility as a social legacy of major events and studies that seek to understand the whole journey that SwD's must make to attend sport events.
Research limitations/implications
The study makes two key recommendations. The first is to encourage further research aligned to the HOPES framework (Paramio-Salcines et al., 2016) that explicitly recognises the importance of understanding the broader approach to the customer experience. The second is the need for the development and validation of a reliable SAS.
Originality/value
Greater accessibility provides a foundation for inclusive environments in sport. The findings are relevant for all stakeholders in sport as universal accessibility benefits more than people with disabilities.
Keywords
Citation
Kitchin, P.J., Paramio-Salcines, J.L., Darcy, S. and Walters, G. (2022), "Exploring the accessibility of sport stadia for people with disability: towards the development of a Stadium Accessibility Scale (SAS)", Sport, Business and Management, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 93-116. https://doi.org/10.1108/SBM-05-2021-0064
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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