Sports 315: Feeling the Game with Erin Gaston of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment

1) Episode Summary In this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, host Kim Wardlow talks with Erin Gaston, Director of Guest Experience at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, about how technology and accessibility are changing the live sports experience for blind and low-vision fans. Erin shares how her team supports guest experience across Ball Arena, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, and the Paramount Theatre, including accessibility planning, guest relations, venue tours, sensory kits, assisted listening devices, captioning, and ongoing work toward digital wayfinding. A major focus of the conversation is OneCourt, a tactile broadcast device available at Denver Nuggets games. The device connects to live game data and allows blind or low-vision fans to feel the movement of the ball on the court through vibration and tactile feedback. Erin explains how Kroenke Sports & Entertainment brought OneCourt to Denver, how guests can access it, and how the response has been overwhelmingly positive. The conversation also highlights a bigger truth: accessibility is not just about compliance. It is about hospitality, dignity, and making sure more people can share in the joy, energy, and community of live sports. 2) Contact Info Guest: Erin Gaston Director of Guest Experience Kroenke Sports & Entertainment Venue Accessibility / Guest Relations: Website: ballarena.com Email: guestrelations@teamkse.com Phone: 303-405-8548 Aftersight: Website: aftersight.org Phone: 720-712-8856 Email: feedback@aftersight.org Producer: Jonathan Price Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight 3) Show Credits Navigating Life with Vision Loss is brought to you by Aftersight. Host: Kim Wardlow Guest: Erin Gaston Producer: Jonathan Price Organization: Aftersight  (00:00) - — Welcome to Sports and Technology (01:00) - — Meet Erin Gaston (01:16) - — What Guest Experience Means at KSE (03:33) - — Why Accessibility Became a Bigger Focus (05:21) - — Introducing OneCourt (06:16) - — How OneCourt Works for Nuggets Fans (08:34) - — Promoting OneCourt to the Community (09:29) - — Guest Response to the Devices (11:17) - — Future Sports Possibilities for OneCourt (13:42) - — Other Accessibility Features at Ball Arena (15:40) - — Accessible Security and Entry (17:01) - — Requesting OneCourt Devices (17:20) - — Assisted Listening and Digital Wayfinding (19:13) - — Accessibility Across KSE Venues (20:52) - — Historic Venue Challenges at the Paramount Theatre (22:41) - — Encouragement for Hesitant Fans (24:46) - — Finding Help During an Event (25:46) - — How to Give Feedback (26:37) - — The Future of Accessibility at KSE Venues (27:56) - — Ball Arena Tours (29:01) - — Final Thoughts from Erin (29:33) - — Aftersight Walk and Hike Announcement