Access Granted: How the Nets are Opening the Game to Everyone

By Colin Blackwell and his AI Assistants

Few teams spread the love of basketball quite like the Brooklyn Nets, who are turning passion for the game into a powerful tool for inclusion, education and community connection. Their efforts go far beyond highlight reels and game-day promotions, they’re actively reshaping how fans of all backgrounds and abilities engage with the game. At the heart of their mission is a commitment to accessibility, skill development and fan inclusion, both online and at the Barclays Center.

One of the most dynamic examples of this is their Brooklyn Basketball program, run in partnership with the New York Liberty. These co-branded youth camps and clinics offer basketball training for kids ages 6–14, with a strong emphasis on teamwork, communication and confidence. Events like the Game Day Clinics give young athletes the opportunity to train with coaches, then take to the court at Barclays Center before attending a live Nets game. But the Nets’ commitment doesn’t stop when the lights go down in the arena. On the Brooklyn Basketball website, fans and aspiring players of all ages can access free skill training videos. These digital resources allow anyone, regardless of income or location, to practice fundamental drills and improve their game at home.

Even more groundbreaking is the team’s recent partnership with Ticketmaster and OneCourt to enhance accessibility for fans with visual impairments. The Brooklyn Nets are the first professional sports team on the East Coast to offer tactile broadcasts at every home game. This revolutionary system uses a tablet-like device that translates live game data into touchable movement patterns across the screen, allowing blind and low-vision fans to physically “track” the action. An earpiece supplements the experience with real-time commentary and score updates. The result is a multisensory, immersive broadcast that transforms the way visually impaired individuals can experience basketball.

This program was successfully piloted in spring 2025, when the Nets hosted guests from VISIONS Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired to try the technology during a live game. The overwhelmingly positive feedback led to a full rollout at Barclays Center, where tactile broadcast devices are now available to fans at no cost.

“So many blind and low vision sports fans choose to not attend live games because they feel that they are missing out on the live visual experience that is happening…As a blind basketball fan myself, I found OneCourt to be a ‘game changer’ in how I experience a live game. Kudos to the Nets for incorporating this technology and giving blind and low vision basketball fans a fully immersive experience.”

Mike Cush, Chief Program Officer at VISIONS

And this isn’t even the Nets’ first venture into accessibility, as the Barclays Center is a KultureCity Sensory Certified Venue and was the first sports arena to open a designated sensory room for fans who may need a quieter, more secure environment during events. 

Between all these innovations and initiatives, it’s clear that the Brooklyn Nets are serious about more than just winning, they’re building a culture that welcomes and empowers everyone. Whether you’re learning your first crossover or experiencing the game through touch, the Nets are ensuring that the love of basketball is truly for all.