From the Care2 site:

In an effort to accommodate families with autistic children, the New York Mets are considering adding a “quiet section” of seats in Citi Field. Many autistic children and individuals have extreme sensitivities to sounds and noise and having a designated quiet section might make the experience of watching a baseball game not only easier on them and their families, but simply possible. A Mets official told the New York Daily News that the team got the idea after designating a quiet section on May 6 as part of the team’s Autism Awareness Day.

To find out if families might be interested, the Mets sent out a survey this week to about a thousand Mets fans, with questions about music, the scoreboard and “other parts of the Citi Field experience,” says the New York Daily News:

“The Mets are considering adding a designated ‘quiet’ seating section with lower volume PA announcements and no music or cheerleading. How likely would you be to purchase tickets in that section?”

However, the Mets neglected to explain why they were considering creating a quiet section and a report about the survey openly mocked the idea. Was not mentioning that the quiet section would be for autistic children just an oversight, or did team officials hesitate to mention their rationale?

Team officials say they are still considering the results from the questionnaire before making their decision.

On MinorLeagueBall.com, John Sickel explained why he embraced the idea:

This is something I would like to see. My youngest son Jackson, age 6, is moderately-to-severely autistic and has a difficult time in crowded environments with lots of people and noise. We generally avoid crowds, no choice really…he’s never been to a baseball game or a movie, for example. The grocery store is tough enough. If there were some sort of family-oriented section with accommodations for autistic and special needs kids and their families, it would make it a lot more likely that we could attend traditional family events that are often not feasible for us.

A number of theaters and movie cinemas have been offering “sensory friendly” productions, specifically geared to accommodate autistic children by making it all right for them to get up during a performance, talk or vocalize and such. Accommodations such as not turning the lights of a theater on and off can make a big difference. The proposed quiet section at Citi Field  will, it is hoped, do just what Sickel says, enabling autistic children and children with disabilities and their families to be able to  ”attend traditional family events that are often not feasible for us.”

But what the New York Daily News calls the “mean” response to the Mets’ survey shows how far we have to go in winning broader acceptance from society about accommodations for those whose needs are different. Not everyone who goes to baseball game can handle hearing the roar of the crowd; I confess to not being a big fan of baseball but the few games I’ve gone to, I’ve been especially struck at how loud the announcers and music are. Others with sound and noise sensitivities could also consider purchasing tickets for the quiet section which would include second-deck, left-field seats. The Mets should at least give a quiet section a chance so some fans who are not able to enjoy the game can give it a try.


Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/new-york-met...z1y3Hz8yRT

I like the link - I read a number of things on there - like the "travel friendly places" http://www.care2.com/causes/traveling-wi...rance.html

thanks for sharing.
oh on spd
http://www.care2.com/causes/getting-sens...order.html

This post was last modified: 06-17-2012 05:06 PM by windy.

My sister once talked me into going to a hockey game with her, even though I have no interest in sports.  Even though I generally don't find going to the movies or a theater to be problematic, this was a highly unpleasant experience.  I was probably experiencing a sensory overload or at least bordering on it, since the volume in there was so loud that it gave me a pretty bad headache.  I'm glad that they're trying to help, although I get the feeling that most Aspies aren't all that interested in sports.

Good point: I wonder why that is and if it holds for us all?  

One of my earliest memories of school was ducking the ball that they threw at me and expected me to catch.  When the teacher asked me why I didn't catch it, I wanted to know when it had last been washed, since I could smell the unpleasant odour of old sweat on it, a sort of metallic trace that mixed with the rubber and made me feel ill.  I remember she laughed until she realized I wasn't joking.  I was around four, I think.

I'd be interested to hear if there is anybody on this forum who does enjoy sport. Maybe we could consider adding it to our own diagnostic criteria!
Alison

This post was last modified: 06-18-2012 02:43 AM by Alison.

i'm sure there are lots of autistics who are into sports... some of the statistics are very fascinating, as a kid i was really into formula one racing for that very reason. i loved learning about which driver had won how many points, there are always these interesting statistics and i think with any sport, there's an appeal from that perspective. i think its great that they're trying.

As much as I dislike the Mets, what they are doing may not be a bad idea..... hopefully they can come up with something like that at Wrigley Field......

But everyone in the 'quiet' section will still be able to hear all the noise from around the stadium. It won't be quiet at all. It's the same flawed principle that gave us no-smoking areas in open-plan restaurants and no-urinating areas in swimming pools

No-urinating areas in swimming pools? People actually need to be told not to urinate? You *are* joking, right...?

Yh...
The poiont is serious, though. Unless the quiet area was enclosed, it wouldn't actually be quiet.

But it would be quieter than the other areas, no? It doesn't have to be silent. Of course, they could close off a lot of it from the rest, I suppose, so as to reduce the noise significantly.

I've seen it attributed to the fact that most team sports have a significant social component to them.  I'd bet that it probably also has something to do with the fact that the motor deficits that many of us have aren't particularly convenient in the context of athletics.

It's interesting the comment that you make about old sweat.  My perceptions are such that I find the smell of sweat that most people find so unpleasant to be nowhere near as bad as some of the supposedly pleasant scents and perfumes that people use to cover it up.

I like this Idea of a quiet section for those of us with noise sensativities.

I think this can be a good step in inclusion. That said, I do worry about what will happen if somebody, perhaps one of the more sensitive people present- has a meltdown in the quiet seats themselves. This could be a problem.

I think this is true.. could be an issue-- outbursts - like my son when he was smaller might have mumbled quietly now and then or some repeating (rare for him) but some people are loud (this one classmate who had tourettes for example)

BUT, if they thought about it - they would have head sets for everyone in that section (similar to some broadway plays - nice sounds, digital and noise canceling) they could hear the radio announcer or stadium announcer... alas, I do not recall if smoking is still allowed outdoors at the ball prak - wonder whether smoking would be banned..