“And the crowd goes wild!”
It’s a phrase often heard from sports commentators when one team scores a dramatic goal. The crowd erupts. Thousands of people leap to their feet, cheering loudly while the players run around the pitch, celebrating with teammates.
Most people love these moments when the atmosphere hits fever pitch. But not everyone. Look carefully at the crowd and you’ll see some battling sensory overload, struggling with the noise and the sheer number of people.
What does sensory overload feel like?
Sensory overload is not a pleasant feeling. The body and brain go into a fight-or-flight state, creating symptoms such as:
- Increased heart rate
- Fast, shallow breathing
- Stress, fear and anxiety
- Angry outbursts and emotional meltdowns
- Heightened sensitivity to noise or other sensations
- Restlessness.
That’s hard to manage in a stadium where you’re sitting in a long row of seats surrounded by other people.
Why don’t they just stay home?
Sensory rooms are purpose-designed spaces that stimulate and engage your senses to create a therapeutic benefit. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by too much sensory input, you feel soothed by just the right amount. It’s room to reset.
Our sensory spaces blend art and science to create an immersive experience in a refreshing, multisensory environment.
Are there different types of sensory rooms?
So, if someone hates crowded, noisy environments, why go to a sports match or a live gig in the first place? Why not stay home and watch it on TV?
People with autism or sensory processing disorder may still choose to go to a live sports match or a music concert because they enjoy many aspects of the event (they just need the chance for a break).
They may also attend because sports and live music are community-building events in many ways. Sports and music bring people together. At school, coffee shops or workplaces, people chat about how their team is doing, comment on the most recent game or relive the experience of seeing their favourite singer perform.
Neurodiverse individuals shouldn’t have to miss out on those shared experiences. It’s like suggesting wheelchair users should stay home rather than going to the effort of creating an accessible venue.
A sensory room in a stadium
Around the world and here in Australia, some stadiums are addressing the needs of neurodiverse patrons by creating a permanent or pop-up sensory space.
A sensory room in a sports stadium or event space offers a match-day experience in a controlled setting where patrons can avoid or manage sensory overload.
The calming sensory room may:
- Be a special private area
- Offer a fabulous view of the pitch through a large window
- Feature soft furnishings, low lighting, bean bags or weighted cushions for proprioceptive input, specialty design elements to soothe the senses
- Provide a sanctuary to reset and return to the event.
Using the stadium’s sensory room
The stadium needs to publicise the sensory room so that patrons are aware of its existence and location. This can be done through the stadium’s website and mailing lists.
Patrons then use the sensory room according to their needs. Usually, it will be available as soon as the gates open and may remain open for a while after the event so that patrons can stay a little bit longer to avoid the departing crowds.
Some people may go directly to the sensory room and remain there throughout the event. Others may come and go, participating in the main event for a while and then using the room to recalibrate. Parents may tag-team, taking turns staying with an autistic child in the sensory room.
The evidence behind calming sensory rooms
A calming sensory room is designed to be an immersive experience in a multisensory environment. It engages the senses in a positive way to support sensory modulation.
We can illustrate this with curry. Let’s imagine that, for some people, being in the main stadium during a live event feels like eating an eye-wateringly hot curry that makes it hard to breathe without coughing. In contrast, the sensory room is more like eating an exquisitely prepared dish where a rich blend of spices creates delicious flavours without overpowering the palate.
Calming sensory rooms have been shown to:
- Help people with autism to regulate their emotions
- Create a sense of comfort, safety and relaxation
- Ease stress and promote positive emotions.
Read the research into calming sensory rooms: Download our ebook.
How stadiums benefit from sensory rooms
Public venues that install a sensory room may benefit from:
- Earning a reputation as a leader in supporting patrons with hidden disabilities like autism
- Attracting a wider group of visitors – attendance suddenly becomes possible for people who might have avoided the venue previously
- Increased sales – when patrons stay longer, they’re more likely to buy food, drinks and merchandise.
Stadiums with sensory rooms in Australia
In Australia, you can find permanent sensory rooms at:
- Allianz Stadium, Sydney
- Sydney Cricket Ground
The MCG created a pop-up sensory space during the Taylor Swift Concert.
Sensory rooms in other settings
Other public venues are catching on to the benefits of sensory rooms too. You can now find sensory spaces in shopping malls and theme parks. Many of these places share the same problems as stadiums (noise and crowds) and reap the same benefits from installing a sensory room (attracting more patrons and enabling them to stay longer and spend more).
In addition, you’ll find sensory rooms in some leading businesses. They’re also becoming more common in schools and universities as a tool to support learning.
Install a calming sensory room at your stadium
If you’re interested in installing a calming sensory room at your stadium or public venue, we’d love to help.
As Australia’s leading experts in purpose-designed, inclusive calming sensory spaces, we’ve installed many such spaces. A calming sensory room is a valuable addition to your venue, helping to enhance your services and reputation while giving your patrons room to reset.
