To support national associations, clubs and venues in implementing best practices, CAFE has published a guidance note with 15 steps to create an accessible and inclusive ticketing process.

With more than one billion disabled people alive today, it is crucial that service providers offer disabled people the same experience of purchasing tickets as non-disabled people.

In many cases, disabled people are an untapped market for event hosts. Disabled people have their own spending power, and family and friends who are unlikely to attend events that exclude their disabled companions from attending. This can lead to a reduction in both the number of tickets purchased and also other expenditure such as food, drink and merchandise.

Ticketing processes can be a major barrier to disabled people attending sports matches and events. In a 2018 study by Attitude is Everything, 82% of respondents reported that they had experienced problems in booking accessible tickets and 79% had been put off purchasing tickets to future events due to the difficulty in booking accessible tickets.

This guidance note aims to support event hosts in ensuring disabled people can enjoy a hassle-free purchasing experience, that in turn encourages disabled customers to return again in the future.

Download the CAFE 15 Steps to Create Accessible and Inclusive Ticketing Processes guidance note.

The guidance note offers advice and support in areas such as accessibility ticketing categories, pricing policies and accessible parking options. It also contains a dedicated section on seeking proof of eligibility for accessibility tickets, and some of the ways in which event hosts can make this process as easy and non-discriminatory as possible.

Advice on online accessibility ticketing is also included in the guidance note, as well as steps that event hosts can take to make the experience as straightforward as possible, such as providing advance information on accessibility in and around the venue.

CAFE Project Manager Jochen Kemmer said, “We have worked closely with venues and event hosts for a number of years to improve access and inclusion for disabled guests, but if disabled people are unable to purchase tickets in the first place then these works will be in vain. Those we had spoken to had identified a need to improve their accessible ticketing processes, and we hope that the guidance note will support them in doing so”.

“As well as just being the right thing to do, there is also an important business case to implementing accessible ticketing processes. This guidance note aims to make this process as easy as possible for both customer and event host, ensuring that disabled people can attend live matches and events alongside their peers and will be encouraged to return again in the future”, added Jochen.

We would like to thank BBAG, KickIn!, Colour Blind Awareness, Level Playing Field and both the CAFE Advisory Group and European Disability Access Officer Network for their advice and guidance in creating this guidance note.

CAFE would be delighted to advise your national association, clubs and venues on making matchday more accessible and inclusive. For more information on how CAFE can support, please email us at [email protected] or call +44 (0)208 065 5108.

Published 19/8/2020