Valley Children’s Stadium, home of Fresno State Bulldog football, is one of the most exciting places to be in the Central Valley during the fall season. Students, alumni and football fans all come together to watch the Bulldogs take the field and compete in one of the most unique atmospheres in all of college football. 

Fans enjoy attending games at the stadium, and will often get to their seats early to see players warm up before kickoffs. It’s a fun pregame experience you can be lucky to see. 

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However, for some, entering the stadium in a timely or accessible manner is not easy. Navigating through the stadium can be challenging.

Unfortunately, for people with physical disabilities or lower body impairments, the stadium is not very accessible and can be viewed as unsafe. I was born with cerebral palsy, so I know this from personal experience. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love Valley Children’s Stadium. As someone who loves football, I would be at every home game if it was easily accessible to me. Sadly, in the handful of times I have attended a game, I find myself struggling to go down the steep black entry ramp that leads into the stadium, as well as the narrow staircase that I have to walk through to get to my seat. I find myself feeling as though I am going to fall or hurt myself. Additionally, the elevated grass hills closest to the field area make for uneven walking surfaces, which can be hard to manage. 

I recently reported on a football game for The Collegian when the ‘Dogs took on New Mexico State. While there was an elevator up to the press box, it’s a long walk up there and you really have to watch your step. There should be more options for people with disabilities to get around, and it feels like there could be. 

These issues I have experienced are why I’ve only gone to the games a few times. It’s not really worth the hassle, especially when I can watch the games safely from home on TV, but I miss out on the student section experience. 

Trying to exit the stadium can be a whole different challenge in itself. Trying to find your way through rambunctious crowds, especially after wins, can be tricky. 

When I think about the struggles I have moving through that stadium, I try to put into perspective what someone with even more physical limitations than me might struggle with in trying to attend and enjoy a game, and I find it simply unfair. Someone trying to attend the game while using a wheelchair wouldn’t be able to enjoy themselves due to the limited accessibility options in the stadium. This would ruin their experience and be unfair to them. They wouldn’t be able to experience the upbeat and party-like vibes that Valley Children’s Stadium presents to fans. I can’t get giveaway items, like the cowboy hats or t-shirts that are given out at some home games, because I can’t get from place to place easily in the stadium, making it hard for me to go claim the items.  

This begs the question: What can realistically be done to ensure equal enjoyment for all fans while at the game, now and in the future? 

Solutions

I would highly recommend improving amenities like adding safer ramps and making restrooms that are Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible. In addition, experimenting with the ability to allow cart transportation around the stadium can make some accessibility issues easier. 

For instance, it would be helpful if there were more staff members driving carts around the stadium, transporting people in need to their seats by using an alternate route. It would also create a quicker way for those fans to get to their seats before kickoff. 

Another option is to add elevators in the stadium, open to those with disabilities. Sure, that would only get people to certain areas, but again, it mitigates accessibility concerns and the elevators would be able to transport multiple people at once. 

The structure of the stadium and the cost to make this happen would add another alternative to making the stadium more accessible. 

The most realistic option, considering the way the stadium is structured, would be to hire more staff whose job would be to make sure people who need the extra support get to their seats safely and feel comfortable while attending the games. 

These staff members would ideally patrol seating around the stadium and provide help as needed. Even adding more hand railing along the staircases would be a good thing and give those who need it a sense of security when dealing with the stairs. 

Adding clear signage directing fans toward the accessible entrance and ramps might be helpful too. 

All in all, my whole point in discussing these safety issues that exist around the stadium are to inspire change in an issue that I feel has been ignored for long enough. It’s very easy to note that Valley Children’s Stadium presents physical challenges, but the fact that there has been little to nothing done to accommodate the fans with physical limitations is quite sad. 

There could definitely be more done to help out and while attempts may fail, the efforts will at least be appreciated. 

As for how to go about getting input from other fans on how they would like to see accessibility issues addressed, I would suggest the university conduct surveys to gauge how people feel about these issues. 

The surveys could ask fans how they feel about accessibility and allow fans to detail the good and bad of their gameday experience. These surveys would then give the university a good idea of what they should address. I believe this method would help increase outreach to fans.

These efforts would also help more seats be filled. Valley Children’s Stadium is an awesome place to be, and everyone deserves an equal experience. Let’s make it safer for those who need the extra support, especially when it can be done in some way, somehow. 

All it takes is a little help and recognition from others.