By Michael McGarry
ROBBINSVILLE - High School football fans who plan to attend the South Jersey title games at Rowan University the weekend of Dec. 7-8 had better bring quarters.
Tickets for the games will cost $5.50 for adults and $2 for students and senior citizens, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association announced during its executive committee meeting Wednesday morning.
Those were the same prices charged for last year’s title games. The $5.50 price caused long lines at Rowan for the Group IV game between Millville and Pennsauken. Rowan officials had to run to a local supermarket for change. Eventually, the ticket price was dropped to $5.
The NJSIAA doesn't choose ticket prices. The state Department of Education tells the NJSIAA how much the organization can charge. The NJSIAA has struggled financially the past few years because of a state law that limits the amount it can charge for tickets.
“We with the ticket (prices) that are given to us,” NJSIAA executive director Steve Timko said. “We keep looking and thing outside the box from our end about dealing with (financial) issues.”
The NJSIAA also announced ticket prices for other state championship venues this fall.
Tickets for football games at MetLife Stadium and Rutgers University will cost $9 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens.
Tickets for state field hockey championship games the College of New Jersey this Sunday will cost $6 for adults and $2 for students and senior citizens.
Tickets for the state boys ands girls soccer games at the College of New Jersey will cost $5 for adults and $2 for students and senior citizens.
In other business Wednesday, Timko complemented NJSIAA assistant directors and the state high schools for working together to reschedule games and events postponed by Hurricane Sandy.
“I think the kids felt it was important we move on,” Timko said. “Even the places that were devastated (the games) brought communities together.”
