How much do OHSAA football playoff tickets cost? Enough for Ohio reps to raise eyebrows.
Just hours before the start of the Ohio High School Athletic Association's football postseason, a pair of Ohio state representatives announced an introduction of legislation to "ensure students are not priced out of watching their high schools participate in playoff games."
State Representatives Jay Edwards and Justin Pizzulli introduced the bill to combat what they call "ticket price gouging" by the OHSAA.
“High school football is Americana at its best and is an experience that should be able to be enjoyed by all,” Pizzulli said in a release. “The cost of a game ticket shouldn’t be an obstacle. The OHSAA’s already bloated budget shouldn’t be built on the backs of the student they are supposed to serve.”
When asked for comment about the proposed bill, the OHSAA made a statement saying: “The Ohio High School Athletic Association is aware of the legislation introduced today, October 27, regarding the gate price set for OHSAA tournament games and that the gate price is higher than the online ticket price, particularly as it relates to student tickets. The OHSAA will continue to discuss this issue today and over the weekend with lawmakers and the OHSAA Board of Directors regarding any changes to the cash price of tickets. More information will be released on Monday, October 30.”
The bill comes after Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens also raised questions about ticket prices for football games.
In July, an Ohio law was passed and signed into law that required OHSAA schools to accept cash for tickets and concessions at school events.
With potential legislation on the way, how do playoff ticket sales work in Ohio?
How much do OHSAA football tickets cost?
For the regional tournament games (the first four rounds of the tournament), advance football tickets cost $9 for students from kindergarten to 12th grade while running $12 for adults.
Those prices are set by the OHSAA and are for tickets purchased online through the OHSAA and HomeTown Ticketing.
Online tickets are then sent as a PDF to your email and can be printed out or scanned on the phone. HomeTown Ticketing also has a mobile app to organize ticket purchases.
Can I use cash at the gate?
While the process was already put in play before 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic ended the use of cash at a number of events and locations across the country.
That seemed to be the case with high school sporting events as well, until a provision in Ohio House Bill 33 required OHSAA members to accept cash payments at any "school-affiliated events" for tickets and concessions.
While postseason games do not fall under the "school-affiliated events" tag since they are put on by the OHSAA, the organization has allowed cash sales at games hosted at high school facilities. Prices for tickets bought with cash at the gate will cost $15.
Why are cash tickets costlier?
The increased price of cash tickets is the contested point among politicians, fans and the OHSAA.
While the online tickets again cost $9 for students and $12 for adults, all tickets bought with cash will cost $15.
“The OHSAA should be ashamed of themselves for charging $15 for a ticket to get into a high school playoff game,” Edwards said in a release. “These games are supposed to be about the school, community, team, band, cheerleaders, and families, but for the OHSAA it is only about the money. There will be many family members missing games because of these outrageous costs.”
According to the OHSAA, cash tickets are more expensive to cover costs that arise from taking in cash, such as additional needed security and accounting.