As you approach the Hunnewell Field on a crisp Friday night, the sound of whistles cuts through the air, cheerleading chants echo across the track, and the roar of the crowd ripples across the stands, the audience excited to see their friends play. It’s game night, and the atmosphere is one of community, pride, and school spirit.
But for students, this experience comes with a price tag. In order to attend games, students must each pay an entry ticket of around five dollars, which can cause students to feel conflicted between supporting their classmates and engaging in the high school community experience or saving their money.
Moreover, this conflict can cause inequity. Students from lower-income families may be restricted from participating in games due to financial constraints, creating a sense of exclusion or isolation from the community.
On the surface, the answer might seem simple. Students often have limited financial resources. The cost of a ticket might deter students from attending a game, especially when weighed against other priorities like saving for personal or future expenses, making students unable to spontaneously drop in to show support in a game during a free afternoon or evening. The result? Fewer students in the stands, diminished school spirit, and less encouragement for the athletes who thrive on the energy of their peers.
However, the issue is more complex than it appears. The Athletic department does face financial challenges because only a limited portion of the high school’s budget is allocated to athletics.
It may be enough to support athletics overall, but it is also true that an enormous amount of revenue must be generated to support the funding for transportation, referees, uniforms, and facility rental for sports that have practice outside of school. In fact, the School Committee’s revised budget for the 2025 fiscal year shows that athletics takes up $1 million of the high school’s total budget of $21.6 million.
Therefore, while ticket sales are not solely used for funding, student contributions remain important because they are a small but reliable source that goes towards supporting the Athletic department.
Revenue from ticket sales is not only invested in the sport played during any one game. Ticket sales help fund all sports in the high school’s Athletic department, including those with smaller fanbases that still require the money to fund resources and equipment. As a result, ticket sales play a vital role in supporting student passion and growth as without this funding, the high school may struggle to offer its robust array of sports that enrich all athletic experiences
This dual reality calls for a balanced approach — one that maximizes accessibility while ensuring the sustainability of athletics programs. For example, the high school could offer season passes, allowing students to pay a one-time fee for access to all games during a particular season. Although this approach would reduce the overall money earned from ticket sales, it would continue to ensure a steady and reliable income. It would also allow students access to a wider variety of different games at a price considered more affordable.
Ultimately, the goal should be to create an inclusive environment where every student feels welcome to participate in the excitement of high school sports while maintaining the sports that fuel various student passions and interests. The roar of the crowd, the pride of cheering for one’s school, and the sense of community that sports foster are invaluable parts of the high school experience. Perhaps it is time for new pricing policies that help the high school strike a better balance between funding their athletic programs and ensuring that these experiences remain accessible to all.
