Citi Field's Sensory Nook Provides Opportunities For Fans

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

As reported here on MMO, the New York Mets have incorporated a sensory nook at Citi Field for the 2022 season. The idea is to provide a quiet, calming space for fans to get away from the noise and crowds that are part of a sporting event. The Mets are among the first teams in Major League Baseball to offer this experience, designed to enhance inclusion and fan comfort.

The primary intent of the sensory nook is to allow neurodivergent fans, such as those with ADHD or autism, a place to go for a sensory break when necessary. So far, Citi Field’s nook has been used by fans with and without neurological conditions, including members of a girls’ softball team during the May 4 game against the Atlanta Braves, as written in an article by Anthony Olivieri on ESPN.com.

MLB has taken a few hits lately for some seemingly fan-unfriendly moves, such as the exclusive streaming of games and the odd start times to accommodate streaming (such as 11:30 a.m. eastern time on Sundays). Baseball is still a bit behind the other sports in terms of the number of teams offering “quiet spaces.” According to the article, eight NHL teams have them, thirteen NBA teams do, and twenty NFL teams have put them in place, including five by the Baltimore Ravens by Opening Day 2022.

The initial reaction to the sensory nook at Citi Field has been positive. From the cited article:

“People really appreciate that it’s there,” said Eric Petersen, who is director of ticket services for the Mets and chairman of the team’s Accessibility and Disability Alliance. “They’re just grateful to have a space for their family member to go to in case they need to get away for a second.”

Not only can a sensory nook make a better fan experience for those in attendance, its presence may encourage more families to attend games. That type of inclusion is not only the right thing to do, it can help expand the game’s reach, something baseball needs to help stem its declining popularity.

I spoke to the family of Mets fans who have a special needs child, with a condition that makes noise and crowds very difficult, almost intolerable. They have not been to a game yet this season. Even though ADA seating helps with their required wheelchair, the thought of going to a game as a family is intimidating to them. When asked if the availability of a sensory nook might encourage them to attend a game, the mother replied, “I would say ‘definitely.’ We used to go to the lounge area in the clubs to get away from the noise, but even that wasn’t enough at times.”

How does the sensory nook work? Most importantly, there is no cost to use it. Fans can enter (they generally stay for approximately 15 minutes), and adjust the lighting as they deem appropriate. The nook reduces noise, and provides a kind of oasis, away from the hustle and bustle of anywhere from 20,000 to 42,000 fans. Mets employees do not go into the nook but have been trained by an organization called KultureCity on how to react to various situations that may arise.

From the cited article:

“There are [Mets] employees that have various ties to the accessibility community, whether it’s a family member, or a friend,” Petersen said. “There are people from that group (the Mets’ Accessibility and Disability Alliance employee resource group) that have certainly expressed how excited they are for this being here.”

The sensory nook, of course, comes at a cost to the team. Estimates are (from the article) that the price can run from $5,000 to $20,000, depending on features and location. The Mets, who are committed to enhancing the fan experience at Citi Field, have absorbed the initial expense, to create the test run of a move to provide an in-stadium respite for fans (and families of fans) who can benefit from it.

MMO’s Carl Adrias visited the nook, which is on the second level at the end of the hallway down the third-base line. Here is a picture of what the Sensory Nook looks like, modeled after a dugout: