For many school athletic programs, paper ticketing and cash-only sales have long been the standard way of doing business. But while this process may seem simple, the hidden costs can add up quickly – impacting your staff, your revenue, and your community.
Here’s a breakdown of the four most critical hidden costs, and how to combat them.
Hidden Cost #1: Increased Personnel
Managing cash boxes at the gate requires extra staff, increases the risk of clerical errors, and slows down fan entry. When the final buzzer sounds, reconciling cash takes even more time, and transporting deposits to the bank adds another layer of work and risk. These steps might sound all too familiar if you have been taking a cash-only approach.
Digital operations not only make the attendee experience better, your staff no longer has to worry about staying late to count cash and deposit funds. The ability to reconcile your funds nearly instantly means less time spent on manual accounting, fewer errors, and complete financial transparency – giving your team peace of mind and getting you back home shortly after the event is over.
“As someone who is always the first to enter and the last to leave the stadium on Friday nights, I can honestly say that before we started using Hometown, I’d often be there until midnight. Now, I can leave [early] because of the streamlined reporting – it saves me from having to go to the bank.”
Hidden Cost #2: Security and Accountability Risks
Cash transactions can come with security concerns such as missing funds or potential theft. With digital ticketing, every sale is tracked and accounted for, reducing the chance of financial discrepancies and ensuring accountability across all touchpoints. This shift can enable schools to enhance the safety at each entry point, giving their staff peace of mind before, during and after the game.
“The switch helped our district recover lost revenue during critical seasons. The revenue generated has been reinvested in student programs, creating a positive impact throughout the district.”
Hidden Cost #3: Fewer Ticket Sales & Revenue
Event attendees today expect simple, contactless options. Cash-only ticketing can be inconvenient for these event goers, discouraging attendance from those who prefer mobile payment options. A digital system allows fans to buy tickets in advance, reducing last-minute stress at the gate. This keeps stands packed and recurring fans happy.
Hidden Cost #4: Lack of Reporting Visibility
Paper ticketing doesn’t offer schools real-time event insights, which can lead to capacity challenges and heightened security risks. Digital ticketing provides instant reporting, giving your staff the visibility they need to manage capacity, track revenue, analyze trends, and even make informed decisions for future events.
Struggling to get buy-in for digital ticketing?
This quick guide helps athletic directors effectively engage with their school administration to make the case for a seamless ticketing solution. Download it now!
“Transitioning to Hometown helped centralize how the district operates and it was a game changer for logistics and operations, allowing them to sell over 400% more season tickets than in previous years.”
Hometown Is Here For Your Community
By streamlining event operations, your staff will spend less time on manual tasks and more time enhancing game-day experiences for your dedicated community. Plus, digital ticketing can significantly improve required financial compliance, ensuring transparency at every level from purchase to scan to collection.
Offering a digital-first ticketing system isn’t just about modernizing – it’s about making your athletic program more efficient, more secure, and more reliable for everyone.
Ready to make the switch? Book a free demo to learn how digital ticketing can maximize revenue for your school and improve the fan experience.
