Michigan Stadium is not ADA-compliant. Not even close. They can't even see ADA-compliance from where they are.But they should get there - and a recent article in the Detroit News show why Michigan Stadium - and everyplace else - should be accessible.
We've covered this many times at C&O. Michigan Stadium is a hole - it's barely accessible for human beings, period. But if you are in a wheelchair and want to go see the Maize and Blue, historically you are on your own.
Until the recent renovations were done, there were 88 wheelchair-accessible seats in Michigan Stadium. According to the ADA, there should be over 1,000. Nothing like being out of compliance by 90%.
It's true that the Stadium, built so long ago, is not required to comply. But they were systematically replacing all the seats - and making no provision to get to ADA-compliance. They were using every under-handed trick, every legal maneuver, every wordsmith game, to avoid having to comply with the ADA.
But a lawsuit filed by a small disability group and a complaint filed by the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Education finally got Michigan to pay attention and at least try to do the right thing. I would have thought the sight of ushers CARRYING wheelchair users to their seats would have done it, but better late than never.
The number 1 argument Michigan used to block wheelchair seats in Michigan Stadium was that people in wheelchairs didn't want to come to the game. Mind you - the 88 wheelchair seats in the old seating structure were among the worst in the whole stadium. But Michigan fell back on the classic argument that they would make that tomb accessible if the demand was there.
Sort of like the arguments neighborhoods make about curb cuts: if people in wheelchairs start moving here, we'll make the sidewalks accessible so they can get around. But not before.
Michigan, in stage one of their renovation, made 184 seats available. This time, however, they weren't just in the endzones; they were spread throughout the stadium, like the ADA requires.
Then an amazing thing happened: People in wheelchairs started coming to games. According to the Detroit News, 136 wheelchair users showed up for the Northwestern game, or 74 percent.
And that was the LOWEST percentage all year. 89% of the seats (164 wheelchair users) were sold for the Wisconsin game.
Amazing! They built more seats, placed them throughout the stadium, and what happened? People in wheelchairs started coming to Michigan football games. Sure, they saw Michigan lose to Illinois, Northwestern, and hated-rival Michigan State, but they came.
More than half of the people who came were game-day decisions, not season ticket holders. Think how many people might come if they weren't being beaten by the likes of Toledo?
This is a classic example of why you can't let "demand" dictate accessibility. If you build them they will come. If you don't, they never will. Thanks to the ADA, you will build them.
Of course, if Michigan goes 3-9 again next year, I don't understand why anyone in a wheelchair (or anyone else) would want to go at all - other than to see the Buckeyes roll them on November 21.
The ADA - it's not just a good idea. It's not just the law. It's also good business.
6 comments:
Super blog! Sent it to 90+ members of the UM Council for Disability Concerns. You got it--on the nose!
Thanks!
/anna
Anna Ercoli Schnitzer
schnitzr@umich.edu
My roommate uses a wheelchair and we never had trouble attending U of M games prior to the renovations 9not season ticket holders but game to game tickets). So your extremity is a bit much, however I agree in general with what you are saying in your blog.
Go Blue!
Sarah: Point well taken. I was just referring generally to the picture portrayed of Michigan Stadium in the U.S. Department of Education report.
I have been a U of M ticket holder for over 20 years. Wheelchair users use to have to come into the stadium thru the tunnel and sit on the sideline with their backs against the hot brick wall. Could not see any of the game due to team, photo and TV crews. Had to wait until half time to use restroom or get refreshment. I would not treat my dog like that. My daughter is in a wheelchair and this is first year she has had a good seating, properly designed for wheelchair use and sight lines. Took 20 years!
U of M sent me a letter the same day the Detroit News carried the article about the Justice Dept. and PVA settling lawsuit. Letter said how U of M had been working hard in cooperation with Justice Dept., & PVA to accomodate the handicapped. B.S., U of M's attornies were fighting it all the way.As Sarah commented,you could attend, but awheelchair user did not have the "privilege" to sit anywhere,proper restroom, park near stadium, or have more than one friend sit with them. The bench seating also did not afford a friend to sit next to the wheelchair, you sat behind it. A ADA violation. The list goes on and on. Just because they let you in the gate does not mean they did their job.
Years ago U of M spent a small fortune lowering the playing field and replacing the playing surface, grass then artificial turf, one, two, even three times. Installing turf drains and heat. The ADA, and Mich. Barrier Free law is very clear in that if you alter the primary function of a facility you MUST make it accessible by current standards. I guess U of M never considered the football field as the main purpose of the stadium, making money was.
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