Sky Sports to launch accessibility features for Premier League coverage

Sky Sports is launching a major accessibility rollout for its Premier League coverage, introducing Live Subtitles and Live Descriptive Audio Commentary. Co-funded by Sky Media and Guinness, the initiative aims to improve the viewing experience for blind, partially sighted, and hard-of-hearing fans.

Starting October 10, Live Subtitles will be available for approximately 210 front-channel Premier League matches per season. The Live Descriptive Audio Commentary service, which provides a continuous, radio-style account of player movement, referee signals, and crowd reactions, will be available for roughly 109 matches per season. The service is scheduled to debut during the Manchester United versus Tottenham Hotspur match.

The development of the descriptive audio service involved testing and feedback from accessibility specialists, Sky’s diversity advisory council, and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). Viewers can enable these features through accessibility settings or voice control on platforms including Sky+, Sky Q, Sky Glass, Sky Stream, and NOW.