HomeTown Highlights from NADC 2023
HomeTown took center stage at this year’s National Athletic Directors Conference – literally! At the opening reception of the NFHS and NIAAA – National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association #ADConf23, HomeTown announced that we are re-committing ourselves to our original founding vision, of delivering a premium, education solution that helps Athletic Directors save more MONEY, save more TIME, and create greater IMPACT for the students and programs we serve. This was only one of the few epic highlights from the event. HOMETOWN HIGHLIGHTS ANNOUNCED STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOLFUNDR The partnership with Schoolfundr will allow HomeTown to offer a unified experience for fans and donors, helping you raise money for your programs quickly and efficiently. Bringing Schoolfundr’s platform to HomeTown’s clients provides the optimal fundraising experience with: Best In Class Features: The platform is purpose built for K-12 athletics, with customized options and reporting tools that help you raise more money than ever before Best In Class Support: You’ll have a hands on fundraising coach to guide you every step of the way, making fundraising less work for you and your staff than on any other platform Best In Class Pricing Model: Other fundraising platforms take 20% or more of the funds you raise; Schoolfundr lets you keep all of the funds you raise with ZERO platform fees or subscription fees Our team is ready to help you get started. Schedule a call to learn more about how we can start saving your school money today! OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF THE WELCOME RECEPTION We were incredibly proud to sponsor this year’s opening night reception! Our team welcomed thousands of Athletic Directors with a live band, exciting announcements, dancing, peer networking and of course, food! What an amazing way to kick off the weekend. 2023 HOMETOWN CUSTOMER AWARDS We know none of the work we do matters without the support and commitment of our customers. For the last decade, we have been proud to partner with passionate school leaders, who work every day to create amazing experiences for students, in the classrooms and in all extra-curricular activities. Check out this year’s 2023 HomeTown Customer Award winners and see how they are making an impact at their school and within their community. HOMETOWN RAFFLE Drumroll, please…Congratulations to Jason Fowler from East Mecklenburg High in NC who is the lucky winner of the HomeTown game-day ready raffle prize – a custom pair of HomeTown AirPod Max headphones! We can’t wait to see these shine on the sidelines. NADC DOOR PRIZE WINNERS One of the most exciting parts of the conference every year is participating in the NADC Door Prizes! This year HomeTown entered two items into the raffle, and we are over-the-moon for our winners. A massive congratulations to Cora Lanter from Severance High School who was the recipient of our $1,000 donation towards their next fundraising campaign. This could not have gone to a more deserving school, as Severance High School just opened its doors in the fall of 2019. The HomeTown team is proud to support your programs! Stephen Nolan, a retired Athletic Director from New York won a custom WHOOP fitness and activity tracker, including a one-year membership! If you weren’t able to attend the event this year, we’ve got you covered. Set up time with a HomeTown expert to talk about how we can help you better manage events, increase engagement, expand your social media presence, collect donations, and manage funds.
Announcing The 2023 HomeTown Customer Award Winners!
At HomeTown, we are thrilled to announce and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our top clients with the 2023 HomeTown Customer Awards! These awards recognize excellence in various athletic categories and highlight the lasting impact these leaders have on their communities, their students, and their schools. Let’s cheer on the remarkable individuals and teams… MVP (Most Valuable Player): Tom Keating from the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IA) Tom Keating, the illustrious recipient of the 2023 HomeTown MVP award, stands as a true luminary in the realm of K-12 athletics, not merely confining his impact to the borders of Iowa but resonating across the entire nation. His role as a transformative force has not only laid the groundwork for an indomitable foundation but has also cultivated an unparalleled presence among member schools in Iowa, a testament to his unwavering dedication to elevating the high school athletics experience. The passion that Tom exudes in his commitment to enhancing the high school athletics journey is nothing short of awe-inspiring. His fervent advocacy for the indispensability of digital ticketing goes beyond mere rhetoric — it’s a tangible force for change. Tom’s resolute efforts have not only resulted in remarkable year-over-year growth in Iowa but have sent ripples throughout various states, compelling schools and athletic programs to embrace digital ticketing practices within their communities. Tom’s loyalty to HomeTown is nothing short of commendable, reflecting a profound belief in the strength of the established partnership. This allegiance serves as a resounding endorsement of his commitment to the triumph of K-12 athletics and the widespread adoption of digital ticketing in the state. With an unparalleled vision, Tom foresees the myriad benefits that this partnership will usher into Iowa, showcasing a forward-looking perspective and an enduring dedication to the long-term, positive impact of HomeTown’s solutions in the region. In acknowledging the key contributors to the success of our partnership, it is imperative to extend our appreciation not only to Mr. Keating but also to commend the invaluable efforts of Chelsea Clark and Jess Morgan from the IHSAA office. As the designated point persons for their adept utilization of HomeTown, they have played pivotal roles in ensuring the seamless integration and success of this collaboration. Their dedication and expertise have significantly contributed to the overall accomplishments of our shared objectives. The IHSAA has demonstrated consistent year-over-year expansion through the implementation of digital ticketing, facilitating streamlined access to over 1000 events and successfully retailing more than 500,000 online tickets annually. Rookie of the Year: Andy Dorsey from East Paulding High School (GA) The Rookie of the Year award recognizes a new HomeTown client who has quickly adapted and excelled in utilizing our platform. Andy Dorsey, the Athletic Director at East Paulding High School, has taken the Rookie of the Year title by storm. East Paulding High School began using the HomeTown platform in Fall 2023. Within just a few weeks, Andy began utilizing HomeTown’s extensive suite of capabilities – like custom seat maps, social media, and event reporting – to quickly enable his community with a seamless event experience. Andy’s ability to efficiently integrate HomeTown into East Paulding High School and community showcase his commitment to excellence. His fresh perspective has brought innovation to East Paulding High School, making him a standout Rookie of the Year. Since the start of the Fall season 2023, East Paulding High School has hosted 47 events, selling over 12,300 tickets and 116 season tickets and sports passes. The speedy adoption of Hometown digital ticketing in this community sets an example for what’s possible for athletic programs who use the platform. Team of the Year: Northside ISD (TX) The Team of the Year award celebrates the collective effort, teamwork, and outstanding results achieved by a group or department within a HomeTown client organization. The Athletics Department at Northside ISD has been named the 2023 Team of the Year. Their collaborative approach to utilizing HomeTown Ticketing has not only enhanced the fan experience but has also significantly contributed to the overall success of Northside ISD events. The NISD Athletics Department demonstrates a steadfast commitment to teamwork through communication, proactive event preparation, and true partnership with the HomeTown team to ensure smooth event operations, especially as it pertains to the implementation of digital ticketing. Their dedication to providing fans with a smooth and enjoyable experience sets them apart as the Team of the Year and sets the bar at a level of excellence which all HomeTown clients should strive towards. “We are pleased, honored and humbled to accept this award. A very special thanks to everyone at HomeTown Ticketing for selecting the Northside ISD Athletics Department. And an enormous salute to all of this year’s nominees each of whom made incredible contributions to their communities, their students and schools.” – Jay Govan, Assistant Director of Athletics, Northside ISD To the innovators, community leaders, and hometown heroes, you are the way forward. Your commitment to ensure students have memorable experiences during their academic career is one we admire and love supporting through our platform. As the year comes to a close, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the 2023 HomeTown Customer Award Winners. Your dedication, innovation, and commitment to excellence serve as an inspiration to the entire HomeTown community.
HomeTown partners with Schoolfundr to create a better experience for students
A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS Today at the opening reception of NADC, HomeTown took the stage and recommitted ourselves to our original founding vision of delivering best-in-class, education specific solutions that help athletics and school leaders better manage events, increase engagement and loyalty, and streamline all aspects of activity management. For the last decade, we have been proud to partner with passionate school leaders , who work every day to create amazing experiences for students, in the classrooms and in all extra-curricular activities. We saw an opportunity years before Covid to help schools transition from paper to digital ticketing, allowing them to provide a better experience for their fans and supporters, while at the same time, saving Athletic Directors time and budget, reducing headaches, and decreasing the financial risk and security concerns that arise when accepting cash for activities. Some of the same coordination, workflow, communication and financial headaches that our schools experienced in the pre-digital ticketing world, is now occurring in the fundraising world. We have schools who continue to “sell products” like candy, candles, and mattresses – which is a huge logistical and inventory hassle, and only receive 20-30% of the proceeds. Others made a leap to early online fundraising, however they are seeing 20-25% being taken by companies, raising questions from parents, boosters and the community about fairness and equity in these challenging financial times. As we engage and speak with thousands of leaders every year, helping solve this fundraising challenge was top of mind. And as we examined our own customer behaviors, more than 20% of our high schools were using HomeTown for some form of donation, roundup, or fundraiser, to raise needed funds for their programs. HOMETOWN & SCHOOLFUNDR When HomeTown decided to partner with an online social donation platform, it was important that their values aligned with ours. Schoolfundr exists to help school communities grow for the well–being of the students they serve, and most importantly, their entire fundraising suite is no-cost to use for schools. Schoolfundr’s flexible fundraising technology empowers users to create custom, online fundraising campaigns that are easy to manage, free to create, and simple to contribute. And best of all, 100% of donations go to the school, minus standard credit card processing fees (of about 3%). With this partnership, we’re enabling a more comprehensive athletic experience, allowing clients to easily recognize and manage their money across fundraising and ticketing activities. CUSTOMER IMPACT As we start launching fundraisers at schools, the impact seen by Athletics and activities leaders is clear. “I’m very excited about the partnership between HomeTown and Schoolfundr. As an experienced HomeTown customer, I’m well aware of the impact that advanced digital tools can have on my program. Our District has already had a great experience running multiple campaigns using the Schoolfundr platform, and Schoolfundr is now going to revolutionize the way we fundraise, and how we manage our finances across the entire athletic department.” – Haley Stewart, Athletic Director, East Gaston High School The partnership with Schoolfundr will allow HomeTown to offer a unified experience for fans and donors, helping you raise money for your programs quickly and efficiently. Bringing Schoolfundr’s platform to HomeTown’s clients provides the optimal fundraising experience with: Best In Class Features – The platform is purpose built for K-12 athletics, with customized options and reporting tools that help you raise more money than ever before Best In Class Support – You’ll have a hands on fundraising coach to guide you every step of the way, making fundraising less work for you and your staff than on any other platform Best In Class Pricing Model – Other fundraising platforms take 20% or more of the funds you raise; Schoolfundr lets you keep all of the funds you raise with ZERO platform fees or subscription fees Ready to get started? Schedule a call to learn more about how we can start saving your school money today!
