Richfield to experiment with free admission to games for students

Tiers of bleachers sit half-empty. Sales of student athletic passes have dwindled. Getting students to attend high school athletic contests is a growing concern for athletic directors across the metro area.

But starting this year, students at Richfield can attend home athletic contests free of charge.

"These are glaring economic times," Richfield activities director Todd Olson said. "We've got a school district with about 60 percent of our students on free and reduced lunch. If kids have money, they're choosing not to use it to go to events."

The Richfield school board approved the move in July, putting the high school in the forefront of an issue that has activities directors in other districts keenly watching how it plays out. While eager to boost student fan interest in teams, they also are nervous about trimming a source of much-needed revenue.

The Richfield proposal was made by board member Deb Etienne, whose husband, Jeff, teaches at Richfield Middle School and whose children graduated from Richfield. She had noticed that many students gathered outside football and basketball games, waiting to enter at halftime when admission became free.

"My son graduated in 2011 and I remember having a group of boys at the house discussing how to get into the game for free because some of them couldn't afford it," Etienne said. "I thought there had to be something we could do to see an increase in kids attending events."

It wasn't for a lack of school spirit. Olson noted the wildly enthusiastic community support when the girls' basketball team qualified for the Class 3A tournament in 2012 and 2013.

The school board rejected the idea in 2012 when "it kind of came up out of the blue," Etienne said. She brought the plan before the board again this year, with Olson's support, and it was approved on a one-year trial basis.

Olson acknowledged that cutting an area of revenue is a gutsy move. The Richfield athletic budget could take a hit of up to $13,000 as a result.

"It's a bold step, but one we're willing to take," Olson said. "The school board has agreed to make up the decline, but we think building a positive school experience is the payoff."

At St. Paul Harding, "We're always looking to drum up more interest," said activities director Gerald Keenan. "If it's a success, I'm sure more and more schools will try it."

The biggest issue, athletic directors say, is the loss of money from ticket sales. That money generally goes back into the athletic program to pay expenses.

Richfield is believed to be the first school in the Twin Cities to eliminate student admission to games. Austin eliminated admission fees in 2000. Fairmont, in southwestern Minnesota, did away with student charges two years ago. Fairmont superintendent Joe Brown instituted the idea when he was the principal at Austin.

"We actually saw gate revenues rise," Brown said. "It became more affordable for families. We all know that if kids are actively involved in school, they'll be more successful. It's just the right thing to do."

Another issue was concerns about student behavior as a result of increased attendance. Olson thinks they have set up a process that will minimize disruptions.

"It's only for Richfield high school students and they have to have a student ID to get in," he said. "This way we can keep track of who is here."

Etienne said the board will assess the results when the year is over.