Two area schools to offer students free admission to sporting events. Will more follow?
Pendleton Heights, Franklin will allow students to attend home games for free in 2019-20 school year
Two area schools to offer students free admission to sporting events. Will more follow? Pendleton Heights, Franklin will allow students to attend home games for free in 2019-20 school year Check out this story on IndyStar.com: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/07/02/pendleton-heights-franklin-offer-students-free-admission-games/1582444001/
Kyle Neddenriep, Indianapolis Star Published 3:49 p.m. ET July 2, 2019
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When Chad Smith was hired at as athletic director as Pendleton Heights in 2016, one of his goals was to offer free admission to students for home athletic events.
Last week, that goal became a reality when Pendleton Heights announced its athletic ticket plan for the 2019-20 school year would offer free admission for high school students with a valid school ID for all high school athletic events.
The response, from the Pendleton Heights community, has been overwhelmingly positive. But Smith said that might change when he hears from his fellow athletic director colleagues.
"I'm sure every AD in the state of Indiana is ready to kill me," said Smith, a 1999 Pendleton Heights graduate. "We're not trying to blaze a path or anything. I know we're not the first school that has ever done it, but it is something in the back of my mind that I've always wanted to be able to do."
FILE – This year, Pendleton Heights will offer free admission to sporting events for its students. (Photo: Matt Kryger/IndyStar)
Pendleton Heights is not the only schools offering free admission for students for the upcoming year. Bill Doty, the athletic director at Franklin, said the school is making the same move. Doty, who is in his third year at Franklin, said he — like Smith — had also been thinking about offering free admission for a while if it would work financially.
"It will be a hit to the revenue stream," Doty said. "But if we can make an impact and get kids out there to support each other, I think it is going to be worth it. If you are a high school kid, you ought to be able to walk in and support your peers for a quarter or two and watch them play for a bit without worrying about spending five bucks. If they can flash a student ID and come in, hopefully that will relieve that financial issue."
An informal survey of local athletic directors shows that Pendleton Heights and Franklin are going against the grain, although many schools offer a discounted season pass for students. Beech Grove, for example, is charging students for the first time in 10 years, but is offering a $30 pass for all sports and has incentivized programs that will offer a free pass based on grades and attendance. Private or parochial schools like Bethesda Christian, Bishop Chatard, Brebeuf Jesuit, Cardinal Ritter, Covenant Christian, Guerin Catholic, Park Tudor and Roncalli, offer free admission to students as part of the school tuition.
FILE – The North Central student section packed the stands for a 2018 football game. Some area schools are making admission free for students. (Photo: Doug McSchooler/for IndyStar)
Smith said the change at Pendleton Heights was not based on a concern over student attendance. In fact, it has been the opposite in his 15 years working in the school system. He said he believes the change could also lead to an uptick in corporate sponsorships. Pendleton Heights had previously offered a student all-sports pass for $60.
"The goal is to make it a long-term thing," Smith said. "Anything you do with educational budgets are always changing, but we are blessed to be a great community that has several businesses that are corporate sponsors of ours. There's no question we're going to lose some money, but we're also not a business. We're willing to take a little hit in the budget if we can do something for the kids and community."
Doty was previously the director of operations for Franklin Community Schools. He said he spent the first year of his role as athletic director talking to students about attending games and tracking student attendance. Two of the biggest factors keeping students away were other responsibilities (jobs, homework) and cost. Franklin previously offered an all-sports pass for students for $50.
"That's really where it started was talking to the kids about it," Doty said. "It is five or six bucks, but after concessions it is 10 or 15 bucks. Come three times a week to athletic events that it might be 40 or 45 bucks. That's a big deal for them. If you can remove one restriction, maybe you can get more kids out there supporting each other."
Like Smith, Doty hopes to make the free student admission a permanent fixture and continue to add corporate sponsors. Pendleton Height did raise its prices for a family all-sports pass to $220 for the school year and $80 for an individual adult. Franklin offers an adult all-sports pass for $60 and has lowered its all-sports pass for students kindergarten through eighth grade to $25.
Of course, the best way to get fans coming back — students or otherwise — is to win games and field competitive, exciting teams. Pendleton Heights has had that in football the past two years, putting up back-to-back seven-win seasons for the first time since 2011 and '12.
Smith joked that his intention is not to make any of his fellow athletic directors feel bad.
"Every place is different," Smith said. "It is not feasible to offer free admission everywhere. We're trying to do something positive for our community to rally around."
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6644.
Student pricing at other area schools
No charge (built into tuition) – Bethesda Christian, Bishop Chatard, Brebeuf Jesuit, Cardinal Ritter, Covenant Christian, Guerin Catholic, Park Tudor and Roncalli
Avon – $30 all-sports pass for year
Beech Grove – $30 all-sports pass for year
Cascade – $30 all-sports pass for year
Center Grove – $6 for varsity football and boys and girls basketball single games; $5 for all other sports and levels
Hamilton Heights – $40 all-sports pass for year
Martinsville – $30 all-sports pass for year
Mt. Vernon – $65 for all-sports pass for year; night each season for all sports where members of "Marauder Mob" are allowed in for free
New Palestine – $65 all-sports pass for year
Triton Central – $5 for single games with various promotions (free pizza)
Speedway – $20 all-sports pass for year
Waldron – $1 for single game or "Blue Crew" membership, a $20 all-sports pass with a reversable jersey and access to two pregame tailgate events
Whiteland – $25 all-sports pass for year
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