Deaf Sports Fan In NJ: 'Bravo' For Captions At Red Bull Arena

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — A deaf sports fan and advocate is offering a big thumbs-up for closed captioning at Red Bull Arena in Harrison.

Recently, Gary Noll – a die-hard sports fanatic who grew up in a deaf household – was on hand at the arena to help the Sky Blue FC celebrate an all-time attendance record.

The landmark was reached during the team’s Aug. 18 matchup against Washington-based Reign FC, which was moved to Red Bull arena due to the demand for tickets in the wake of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team’s thrilling World Cup win.

• See related article: World Cup Champs Return To USA, Get Cheers At Newark Airport
• See related article: Women's World Cup Teammates To Face Off At Red Bull Arena In NJ

But while many attendees at the game were watching the field, Noll was watching the closed caption displays, an initiative started at Red Bull Arena last year.

“It gave me and other fans better fan experience and supported accessibility and inclusiveness for all sports fans,” Noll told Patch, sharing a photo of the captioned attendance announcement.

Normally, the 25,000-seat stadium plays host to the New York Red Bulls. However, the arena has also recently been the site of National Women's Soccer League games, such as the Aug. 18 contest with Sky Blue.

Noll, who was at another Sky Blue game at Red Bull Arena on Sept. 29, applauded the continued use of closed captioning at the stadium.

“Bravo, Red Bull Arena and Sky Blue FC,” Noll enthused.

• See related article: For These New Jersey Cops, Learning Sign Language Is 'Paramount'
• See related article: Port Authority Cop Uses Sign Language To Bridge Communication Gap

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