Post by The Admin on Apr 22, 2020 12:52:18 GMT -6
OSSAA board approves price hikes for playoff tickets
www.tulsaworld.com/sports/high-school/ossaa-board-approves-price-hikes-for-playoff-tickets/article_e30777f3-8cec-5d86-94b5-a3e61bf88461.html#1
www.tulsaworld.com/sports/high-school/ossaa-board-approves-price-hikes-for-playoff-tickets/article_e30777f3-8cec-5d86-94b5-a3e61bf88461.html#1
Ticket prices for state-sponsored playoff events will be higher in the upcoming academic year.
With minimum discussion Monday, the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association’s board of directors voted to raise postseason ticket prices for the coming year.
Tickets will now be $7 for preliminary rounds and $10 for championship games in all sports except football and soccer, which will be $10 across the board.
In other action, the board voted to add a girls division to the state wrestling tournament in 2021, following a successful exhibition presentation this past winter.
OSSAA wrestling chairman Todd Goolsby said girls wrestling participation was “much greater than anyone would have ever expected” in the past year.
The board also nixed a proposal to advance six teams from each 6A football district to the playoffs. The measure would have created a fourth playoff round in 6A Division I and 6A Division II, which now have three playoff rounds each.
Previous ticket prices for OSSAA-sponsored events were $7 for all rounds in soccer and football and $5 for preliminary rounds and $7 for championship events in other sports.
Those prices were the lowest among states in Section 6 of the National Federation of State High School Associations, Jackson said, “and probably the least-expensive in the country.”
Texas has the highest ticket prices in Section 6 at $15 and $20, Jackson said.
The board voted 12-0 for the increase, the first for OSSAA playoff events since 2015-16.
Glenpool superintendent Jerry Olansen said being in the the midst of the coronavirus pandemic makes it “probably not the best time for this, but I appreciate everybody (on the OSSAA staff) putting the research together, and I fully support the increase.”
Jackson said discussions had been underway for some time. The pandemic, which forced cancellation of the 6A-2A state basketball tournaments and spring events, has caused a significant revenue shortfall for the OSSAA and has “confirmed the need for (the increase),” Jackson said.
Jackson said the staff first considered a hike to $8 and $12, but lowered the recommendation for fear of possible depressed economic situations in Oklahoma when activities resume.
“We don’t want to be to the point where we discourage our people from attending games,” Jackson said.
With minimum discussion Monday, the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association’s board of directors voted to raise postseason ticket prices for the coming year.
Tickets will now be $7 for preliminary rounds and $10 for championship games in all sports except football and soccer, which will be $10 across the board.
In other action, the board voted to add a girls division to the state wrestling tournament in 2021, following a successful exhibition presentation this past winter.
OSSAA wrestling chairman Todd Goolsby said girls wrestling participation was “much greater than anyone would have ever expected” in the past year.
The board also nixed a proposal to advance six teams from each 6A football district to the playoffs. The measure would have created a fourth playoff round in 6A Division I and 6A Division II, which now have three playoff rounds each.
Previous ticket prices for OSSAA-sponsored events were $7 for all rounds in soccer and football and $5 for preliminary rounds and $7 for championship events in other sports.
Those prices were the lowest among states in Section 6 of the National Federation of State High School Associations, Jackson said, “and probably the least-expensive in the country.”
Texas has the highest ticket prices in Section 6 at $15 and $20, Jackson said.
The board voted 12-0 for the increase, the first for OSSAA playoff events since 2015-16.
Glenpool superintendent Jerry Olansen said being in the the midst of the coronavirus pandemic makes it “probably not the best time for this, but I appreciate everybody (on the OSSAA staff) putting the research together, and I fully support the increase.”
Jackson said discussions had been underway for some time. The pandemic, which forced cancellation of the 6A-2A state basketball tournaments and spring events, has caused a significant revenue shortfall for the OSSAA and has “confirmed the need for (the increase),” Jackson said.
Jackson said the staff first considered a hike to $8 and $12, but lowered the recommendation for fear of possible depressed economic situations in Oklahoma when activities resume.
“We don’t want to be to the point where we discourage our people from attending games,” Jackson said.
