Sports admission fees discussed by school board, administrators

Sep. 27—Admission fees to school sporting events was on the agenda for the Laurel County School Board and school administrators were on hand to discuss the issue.

Board Chair Joe Karr brought up the agenda item, stating that he was concerned about the admission fees to sporting events at both the middle schools and high schools.

"Someone said the school board set the price for admissions," said Chairman Joe Karr. "I know there's been a lot of talk about kids getting in and out of the games. I know there's families with a bunch of kids that are spending $100 a week to get in to games. My question is is there something we can do as a board to let these kids in free?"

Griebel said administrators have met with principals and athletic directors to discuss that issue. She said she had invited them to the board meeting to discuss the issue.

Dr. Jeremy Kidd, South Laurel High School Principal, SLHS Athletic Director Jep Irwin, North Laurel High School Principal Mike Black and NLHS Athletic Director Hayley Ratliff outlined the admission fees for both students and parents to board members.

Griebel said adult admission was $7 per adult, which has increased $2 this year, with students of the school paying $5 admission. She added that student passes had been initiated that allowed students to purchase a $50 pass that would allow admission to every event at a particular school. Those include the two high schools and two middle schools.

Board member Jeff Lewis asked if the admission price was necessary to continue the athletic events at each school with Kidd and Black affirming that the revenues are necessary.

Griebel said that junior varsity, elementary and 9th grade game fees are $5 per person. She added that Grandparent Passes are available that allow grandparents free admission if their grandchild is playing in one of the sporting contests.

Karr asked if allowing parents to attend sporting events where their child is involved had ever been considered.

Black said in many sports, the parents were the only attendees.

"Sometimes they're the only ones that attend. Then how do you pay the costs for the officials?" Black said. "You have a soccer game and 20 people are there and 16 are parents."

Irwin said the idea of offering a parent pass had been discussed, and smaller districts had obtained corporate sponsorship.

"But we're a large district," he added. "We had a corporate sponsor but we had one that was only for the South Laurel for 31 kids. Ms. Ratliff has brought this up several times about what if you don't have the sponsor the next year. Then we'd have to start charging the students again."

Irwin added that with free admission, many students from other districts had gotten in free of charge.

"Students from other schools are coming and getting in free. The ticket takers aren't going to ask that," he said. "So Corbin or Clay County or whomever we were playing, we were losing our student revenue as well."

Irwin said in previous years adult and student prices had been the same. He added that he had tried to find an average for home games.

"We had 85 home events, that's just at South Laurel," he said. "We added that up and student admission for those would be about $5 a head, you're looking at about 2,500 student admissions, so you're looking at a significant number of admissions. And that's just our school."

Irwin added that there had been some interest in sponsorships by local businesses but when the numbers to accommodate the sponsorships were added up, the interest had decreased.

"South Middle would not have as many events as the high school but you'd have higher attendance," he continued. "So you're somewhere in that 5-digit range."

Karr re-iterated that the $50 pass would cover any home games of any sports, which Irwin answered stating that the fees were the same as other surrounding school districts.

Assistant Superintendent Tharon Hurley said other schools had been charging admission fees, stating, "We're a little late to the game, pardon the pun. We're just catching up, honestly."

Board member Ed Jones asked to clarify the issue, for the board to support the decisions on sporting events admissions with the school administrators, with board members agreeing.

"They know what's best for their school," Lewis said.