Ticket prices for Oak Ridge Wildcats football and basketball games could increase a dollar or two, although not for students at basketball games, starting July 1.
The price increases will be considered by the Oak Ridge Board of Education during a meeting that starts at 6 p.m. Monday, June 19, at the Robert J. Smallridge School Administration Building at 304 New York Avenue.
If approved, the changes would go into effect July 1.
Ticket prices have not increased since the 2007-2008 school year, according to the school board agenda. Meanwhile, expenses for transportation, officials, equipment, security, emergency services, and other required items for athletics have increased significantly.
A ticket price comparison included in the school board agenda said ticket prices in Oak Ridge for both football and basketball are, with one exception, lower than at Hardin Valley Academy, Bearden, Dobyns-Bennett, Fulton, Farragut, Powell, Knoxville West, Maryville, Karns, Alcoa, Anderson County, and Clinton. Also, those other districts don’t offer senior citizen rates, according to the comparison.
A general admission football ticket in Oak Ridge is $6. It’s $4 for a senior citizen.
Football tickets at other schools are $7 or $8, the comparison said.
Basketball tickets in Oak Ridge are $5 general admission and $4 for a senior citizen.
They’re $6 everywhere else, except for Dobyns-Bennett, where they’re also $5.
Football tickets could increase by $2 to $3 for most tickets, with the exception of junior varsity and freshman games.
Here’s the breakdown for varsity football games:
- Gate—adult and student—general admission: Current price—$6, Proposed price—$8
- Advance sale—student: Current price—$6, Proposed price—$8
- Advance sale—adult: Current price—$6, Proposed price—$8
- Senior citizen at gate: Current price—$4, Proposed price—$6
- Reserved seat at gate: Current price—$7, Proposed price—$10
- Reserved seat season ticket book: Current price—$7, Proposed price—$10
Here’s the breakdown for varsity basketball games:
- Gate—adult: Current price—$5, Proposed price—$6
- Gate—student: Current price—$5, Proposed price—$5
- Advance sale—student: Current price—$5, Proposed price—$5
- Senior citizen at gate: Current price—$4, Proposed price—$5
The agenda said cheerleading, cross country, golf, swimming, and tennis are non-revenue sports. Football and basketball revenue provides the funding for those sports, the agenda said. It said most of the other sports do not generate enough revenue to be self-supporting.
You can see the rationale for the proposed ticket price increases and the ticket price comparisons here:Â VII_G_TicketPriceIncreaseRationaleSubmissionToBoard6817_0
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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