NY/NJ Metropolitan Area 2025-2026 Deaf Awareness Sports Events
- Gary Noll
- 15 hours ago
- 3 min read
Gary Noll
Gary Noll, born Deaf in a New Jersey Deaf household, is a huge New Jersey/New York Sports fan. He proposes and raises awareness of Deaf and ASL (American Sign Language) sports events. Gary is an advocate of accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion, including promoting captioning and ASL communication technology during NJ/NY metropolitan sporting events.
Metropolitan New Jersey/New York Sports Stadiums and Their Efforts to Host Deaf Awareness Events in 2025 and 2026:
1. Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
The New York Yankees baseball team will host its second annual Deaf Awareness Event on September 23 and 27, 2025. Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing fans can purchase special event tickets, which include a Yankee ASL baseball cap.
Last year, the Yankees had over 600 fans in attendance for their first annual Deaf event, where the organization handed out a Yankee ASL t-shirt and a performer signed (ASL) the national anthem.
This year’s expected participants include Gallaudet University, NTID (National Technical Institute for the Deaf), RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology), Lexington School for the Deaf, American Society of Deaf Children, NY School for the Deaf-Fanwood, and others.
2. Citi Field, Flushing, New York
New York Mets baseball plans to host the Deaf Awareness Event again in 2026. The Mets event planners are expected to start this August for next year’s amazing event. We expect ASL interpreters from Sign Nexus LLC, New York City, to be available throughout the stadium and live ASL interpreters to broadcast on the video screen as was done in 2023.
3. Sports Illustrated Arena, formerly Red Bull Arena, Harrison, New Jersey
New Jersey/New York Gotham FC, National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is expected to host its first annual American Sign Language (ASL) event in September 2025. The organization is currently identifying the logistics and management of this much-anticipated event.
4. Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
New Jersey Devils hockey hosted a successful 6th annual ASL night on March 24, 2025 vs. Vancouver Canucks. The 300+ fans who bought the special event game tickets received an ASL t-shirt. The College of New Jersey Deaf and Hearing Connection, the Hearing Loss Association (HLA) of Essex County, New Jersey, and a few others participation made a difference in these events. Expect the NJ Devils hockey to host their 7th ASL night next year, in March 2026.
5. Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
The New York Knicks basketball organization is considering hosting an event for the Deaf and American Sign Language (ASL) community, though a specific date has yet to be determined. Gary and other deaf support groups have engaged in several meetings with the Knicks to discuss this initiative. However, the final decisions on which themes and group events are included in the calendar rest with the Madison Square Garden (MSG) governance board and other members of the organization. One of the major concerns is the ticket costs.
Much the same can be said for the New York Rangers, though an event at a New York Knicks game seems more achievable.
6. Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
Gary and other support groups have asked and made presentations for a 2025 and 2026 NY Liberty (WNBA) and Brooklyn Nets (NBA) Deaf or ASL event. Barclays Center’s Management, BSE Global, is not yet ready to undertake and embrace this request.
7. UBS Arena, Belmont Park, New York
After hosting successful Deaf Awareness Events in the past, the NY Islanders hockey expects to host its third annual Deaf Awareness Event during the 2025/2026 season, but it’s still too early to set the dates.
Overall, the sports venues in NJ and metro NY have made good progress on having the national anthem ASL performers on Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and ASL Awareness events. Even the Big East men’s basketball tournament at Madison Square Garden (MSG) and the US Open Tennis at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center offers accommodations for deaf fans.
Gary expects (crossing fingers) an ASL performer will sign the national anthem at the 2026 World Cup tournament at Met Life Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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