‘Pros’ Outweigh ‘Cons’ with Digital Ticketing for High School Events

There are many pros when it comes to implementing online ticketing in your athletic program. First, it is extremely easy and convenient for the tickets to simply appear on your electronic device. Tickets will never get lost and are always accountable. Second, the athletic director and other school personnel will be able to track attendance and monitor revenue streams for special events such as homecoming, senior night and playoff contests.

In terms of the drawbacks to digital ticketing, the process of educating the community on how to use electronic ticketing is a major concern. A large percentage of the population is still using “paper and pencil” methods.

After each event, the total number of ticket sales is generated. This would include the number of individuals who actually attended the event, and the total amount of revenue that was generated. Prior to each event, a capacity limit is established for the number of tickets that can be sold. For specific venues such as college stadiums that are used for high school playoff contests, there is a cap on how many tickets can be sold.

It is imperative, therefore, to inform patrons of how many tickets will be available. In case the event is sold out, the online ticketing company will post that there are no more tickets available. In the event that a patron needs to purchase tickets in-person using currency, which may or may not be an option, there is generally a surcharge for doing so.

Selecting a vendor is an important piece to this puzzle as when considering any new technology. It is important that athletic administrators research the various vendors so they can establish which one best meets the needs of the community. Some of the most frequent problems occur when an athletic department uses an online ticketing program, but the vast number of spectators do not have the technology to use or access it. In addition, there are other individuals who run into “technical difficulties” after purchasing tickets.

These problems can cause disruption and delays in collecting tickets, and this can have a ripple effect for everyone who is waiting to enter the stadium or arena. It is important for athletic administrators to have enough staff, especially for games in which a large crowd is anticipated, to help assist with these issues as they arise.

Communication is a key aspect for successful implementation of online ticketing for any event. All athletic administrators, fans and schools need to be made aware of changes to procedures as soon as possible to help avoid any issues or problems.

It is important to have a plan when rolling out an online ticketing system. Will cash be accepted under any circumstances? If so, will there be a surcharge? If not, how do you accommodate those who do not have the technology needed to purchase a ticket? If the system “goes down, what is the backup plan? What do you do if a game has been cancelled due to weather and tickets have already been purchased, and the contest can’t or won’t be rescheduled? Are there provisions for seasonal or family ticket plans?

Overall, online ticketing has been a success for high school athletic programs throughout the country. Very simply, it saves time and is relatively easy once it has been established. It most likely will continue to grow rapidly with the expansion and greater use of technology across more segments of the population.

Each school’s athletic department has to determine the best time to initiate an online approach, which vendor is best for its situation, and develop a plan for all the various aforementioned contingencies.