New board of ed. policy gives Bristol residents free admission to all athletic and school events

Posted By: Jack Krampitz June 24, 2023

By Jack Krampitz

The Bristol Board of Ed. voted in their June meeting to approve a new policy that gives Bristol residents free admission to all athletic events and drama and music productions in the city high schools in the 2023-24 school year.

The board’s Policy Committee had been working on the topic of gate fees for about six months. A subcommittee under the direction of chair Kristen Giantonio was looking at data provided by central office administration: specifically, on what the fees have been in recent years, what the balances are in the high school accounts, and what the money is usually expended on.

In athletics, the fees for many years have been $5 for adult entry into sports events that charge, with a $3 fee for students and $1 for senior citizens and children under 10. In the area of the arts, the entry fees would depend on what type of performance.

Under the new policy, Bristol students and residents will enter for free, and people visiting from out of town will be charged the traditional entry fee.

Assistant superintendent Dr. Michael Dieter said that fees have historically been allocated for expenses that go above and beyond the normal athletic budget. For example, both high schools recently had track athletes qualify for the New England Regionals. Travel expenses, lodging, and food for the athletes and their coaches were paid out of the money raised by the gate fees.

Another item paid out of the gate fees accounts are the varsity and junior varsity letters and award pins that student-athletes receive at the end of each season.

Dieter went on to say that the budget will have to be adjusted now so that the student-athletes will have the same opportunities and experiences that athletes always have had in the past. The money that will not be coming from gate fees will have to be replaced by other funds within the board’s current budget.

Because the budget was already finalized before this change of policy was approved, Dieter said the adjustment for the upcoming year will be a bit of a challenge. That and the City Council/Board of Finance approval of the 2023-24 budget cut about $1 million from what the board of ed. originally asked for.

According to Dieter, in the past few years, the amount that each high school expended from the athletic gate fees was around $35,000. And then the drama, music and arts budget will probably need more than $30,000 for costumes, special effects, licensing fees, audio equipment, etc. for the two schools, so the board will need to make up over $100,000 in this year’s budget.

In every school year, the largest source of funds for the gate fee budget is the Thanksgiving Day football game between Central and Eastern. That was not addressed in this policy as a carve out, so at this time, entrance to the game would also be free. That may or may not be subject to change, but as of now, that is the standing policy.

To gain free entry, Bristol students will be required to show their student I.D.’s and adults will need to show some identification, in most cases a driver’s license.

One final question for Dieter during our interview was how many other school districts in the Central Conn. Conference have a similar policy of free entry for town residents. The answer? No other town is doing this as of now.

Bristol will either be leading the way or standing all alone.

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