Joanne O’Riordan: Audio description a fascinating success story at Women’s World Cup

For the first time in Fifa history, audiences at home with a visual impairment are able to watch games independently. That’s completely on their own, without the need of a friend, partner, family member, assistant or housemate available to describe what’s going on the screen. Irish man abroad David Feeney has been selected as one of the audio description commentators who are working through the World Cup group stages.

The process, according to Feeney, was rigorous. Initially, he used his master of ceremonies (MC) experience to record a two-minute package of the Australia vs Brazil game. “I have experience as an MC and a host, I even did the St Patrick’s Day parade in Sydney. I saw the advertisement on LinkedIn, so I sent in my bit and was selected,” says Feeney.

The final team selected included some professionals, but Feeney stood out among the rest. “A few days later I got an email from a company called AMS, who were running the process for Fifa. They said I’d made it to the next round and could I come to the Fifa offices in Sydney for a day of training. There were about 12 or 13 people on the training including a professional football commentator and a former Matilda. There were a load of people who commentate for NPL [National Premier League] teams which is the level below the A league, so I thought I had no chance”.

Audio description commentary is hard to describe. In tennis, they used Hawk-Eye technology to focus on the ball while a regular match commentator did the rest

And then the training started.

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Audio description commentary is hard to describe. In tennis, they used Hawk-Eye technology to focus on the ball while a regular match commentator did the rest. No such technology exists for other sports ... yet! But for now, the only comparable situation is an extreme version of radio commentary.

TV commentators will go through the game using players and emotion. Radio commentary is play-by-play focused as, obviously, the listener cannot see what’s in front of them. Sprinkle in that emotion and you’ve got a pretty good radio commentator.

But audio description is different, according to Feeney. “The training was really rigorous, the guy who was coaching us [professional audio description commentator Alan March from Nottingham] was excellent but if you messed up he’d let you know, all very constructive feedback though.

“Always emphasising that we are not doing this for TV but for visually impaired people and that we have to always prioritise the position of the ball on the field and who is in possession. Names are secondary, mainly the ball comes first. We need to follow the ball, then if we can, add the names, and add some colour and describe the action, so in a way it’s like radio commentary only quicker.”

Feeney received a random match, prepared for it that night, presented his notes the following day, then proceeded to commentate. After more assessments and feedback — “roughly three or four calls and Zoom sessions as well as training at Fifa HQ in Sydney” — he got the call. He had made it and is now commentating from Sydney to Perth to New Zealand.

Naturally, he’s incredibly proud and is happy his family get to hear him, but he’s aware that he is in a privileged position, bringing games to an audience who have been excluded for some time now.

“The programme is being run by the sustainability and diversity team at Fifa so there are a series of different initiatives that the team are running. They told us that they want this to become the standard. They want this to be the norm across all major sporting events, not just the Fifa Women’s World Cup.

“We were also told how very few other sports are doing this, sports like basketball, rugby, and so Fifa are looking to make this the standard for the others to follow. There are also things like sensory rooms at stadiums and the representation of Maori and First Nations [Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders] people in New Zealand and Australia also fall under the remit of this team. It just shows the organisers that they are really dedicated to making this a really inclusive and welcoming event.”

I’m in my 40s and growing up the only women’s sport you would really see in Ireland was Wimbledon and the Olympics — that was about it

—  David Feeney

Legacy is the biggest topic post-Women’s World Cup. Australia and New Zealand both have discussed how this tournament will have a massive impact on little girls growing up. Feeney, while showing me the amount of merchandise available, especially Ireland merchandise, says this could have a huge impact on women’s sports in Australia.

“I have two daughters — 12 and 13 — so I reckon that the biggest legacy will be just having a women’s sporting event being part of mainstream culture as a totally normal thing. I’m in my 40s and growing up the only women’s sport you would really see in Ireland was Wimbledon and the Olympics — that was about it.

“My daughters will be able to see female athletes on billboards and playing in front of sell-out crowds as the norm. The same is true for boys their age, but I think there is still a long way to go there, but you do see the occasional boy with ‘Kerr’ on the back of his jersey. I heard someone recently say, ‘if you can see it, you can be it’ in reference to the Women’s World Cup and I think that’s a great way to look at it. Before this, girls and women wouldn’t see something like this as it was something to be worked towards, but for my daughters this is just the same as if the men’s tournament were here. At the end of the day, it’s a sporting event, not a women’s sporting event, if that makes sense. I think that’s what this World Cup has a chance to do.”

So while barriers are being smashed for women in sport, it’s also interesting to see how Australia and New Zealand organisers are opening the game to a wider audience. Diverse fans could mean more ticket and merchandise sales, and additional sales lead to better investment. Moreover, further investment means better and closer tournaments. While there have been a few surprises so far, and the gulf between the best and the rest is not as big, the post-World Cup frenzy will be monumental and the greatest legacy will be bringing the game to everyone in Australia and New Zealand.