As November is playoff season for WJ’s fall sports, fan attendance both from parents and students adds to the excitement. Between home games and away games, ticket prices can pile on top of each other making season ticket passes seem to be a good deal, but are they really? Though buying a season ticket has its benefits, does the con of the pass not being eligible for playoff games outweigh them?
Tickets for sporting events are purchased through GoFan, a high school-specific ticketing software introduced to WJ in the fall of 2022, as tickets were previously purchased by cash and bought at ticketing booths around the school. Since then, GoFan has made buying tickets online simple and entering games even smoother.
Throughout the season each ticket per game is $5 and each playoff game $6+. For some, that can add up depending on the number of games you attend so parents and students sometimes opt to purchase a season pass.
There are different passes you can get, with the first option being for all sporting events during a select season. The pass for a student costs $18, breaking even at four games or an adult pass for $30, breaking even at attending six games.
The other pass available to buy is one for all home sporting events throughout the whole year. The pass for a student costs $40, breaking even at eight games or an adult pass for $70, breaking even at 14 games. These passes are crucial to parents who attend their students’ multiple sports games.
“It is a little frustrating that GoFan season tickets don’t include playoff games,” season ticket holder Kate Proger said. “I’m sure there’s a good reason, but as a fan and parent, I don’t know what that reason is. I wish that GoFan made the tickets free for the community. We’d probably get more spectators.”
Obtaining a season pass is all and well until the playoffs, where spectators feel like they are paying even more than what they already paid for passes as GoFan and WJ does not take season passes for playoff games. Instead of using your pass, you are required to buy a separate playoff game ticket for $6. For some is it even worth it?
“It definitely makes me upset. I was hoping the tickets would include the playoff games because it’s an important part of our football team. I don’t think it’s worth it,” senior Sareen Papangelou, a season ticket holder, said.
On the flip side, the money spent on tickets can also go to benefiting the athletic department, allowing WJ athletics to improve facilities, uniforms, etc.
“It makes sense because they need money and it is easier to profit off of playoff games because more people will go,” Change said. “Also it is a more premium game because of its importance to the team and the season pass isn’t as profitable as some people won’t go wasting a spot.”
