Boston Legacy FC has announced a multi-year partnership with Collegium Pharmaceutical.
The biopharmaceutical company, based in Stoughton, Massachusetts, will be one of the club's official partners and will help ensure home games are sensory-inclusive for all fans, starting this season.
A Collegium Sensory Room will be available at Gillette Stadium and Centreville Bank Stadium during all home matches. The room will also be available in White Stadium when the team moves in next year.
The dedicated space will provide a quieter and more secure environment for spectators who may need a break during games, and will be designed to promote comfort and regulation. BLFC and Collegium hope this project will create a welcoming and accessible space for those who have sensory regulation challenges or sensitivities.
“We want every fan to feel like Boston Legacy FC is truly their club,” said Jennifer van Dijk, Team President of Boston Legacy FC. “That means delivering an unforgettable, high-energy matchday experience while also being thoughtful about how people experience sound, light, and crowd environments. We’re reimagining how a stadium can function and feel, with the goal of being as accommodating and welcoming as possible to every individual. Through our partnership with Collegium, we’re proud to create a space where fans and families feel comfortable and supported.”
The room is being designed with input from Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), a nonprofit organization that provides resources and support for people with ADHD.
“For some fans and families, a sensory room is the difference between ‘we can’t do this’ and ‘we can.’ For many of us with ADHD, large venues, big crowds, and noise can be overwhelming — not because we don’t want to be there, but because our nervous systems process stimulation differently,” CHADD president Suzanne Sophos said in a press release. “A sensory room provides a place to reset before overwhelm turns into dysregulation, which can help people stay longer and enjoy the event. That kind of access, and that kind of being seen, is a game changer.”
Along with the sensory room and branded signage, the partnership will also include “Know Before You Go” communications and fan resource information. It will also support inclusive community programming for youth and caregivers.
“Collegium’s partnership with Boston Legacy FC reflects what we value most: showing up for our community and helping people with neurodivergence feel seen, supported, and included,” said Vikram Karnani, President and Chief Executive Officer of Collegium. “Initiatives like this are tangible steps toward making community events, like game days, accessible and inclusive for more fans and raising awareness and understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD.”
