According to figures obtained from the OHSAA, the last five state track and field meets — from 2005-09 —have cost the state organization a total of $437,004.
Ironically, it’s those high participation numbers that help push the bottom line to such a financial drain. That’s why the OHSAA board of directors last year placed a five-year moratorium on travel reimbursements for member schools that participate in state tournament individual sports that traditionally have not been revenue-generating.
Those sports include cross country, golf, tennis, bowling, gymnastics, swimming and diving, and track and field. The OHSAA made an exception for wrestling. No longer does the state reimburse $12-$54.50 per day — depending on the distance traveled — per individual and coach.
Cost cutting
That might not seem like much of a daily cost. But in a sport that draws participating numbers like track and field, cutting out that daily stipend meant the difference of the event costing the OHSAA $105,867 in 2008 and cutting its deficit to $64,198 last year.
The combined stipend savings for all sports was projected to be $255,000. The OHSAA spent nearly that much in reimbursing track and field athletes and coaches the last two years.
“The bottom line for the state track and field tournament should improve significantly this year,” said OHSAA assistant commissioner Bob Goldring.
The reasons for the high track and field state meet costs are many. In football, a half-dozen referees and line judges handle each of the six championship games. Just three refs work each of the 24 final four girls and boys basketball games.
State track and field is essentially six separate meets in two days — three boys and three girls, Divisions I, II and III. As many as 12 officials will be anchored at the finish line. More officials are spread throughout Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at Ohio State University, helping coordinate the many field and running events within and outside the oval.
Other costs include meet personnel (ticket takers, security, traffic and parking, custodians, ushers, police, EMT and trainers, computer results personnel, scorers and timers). There’s also the annual fee to rent the facility, hospitality, trophies and medals, tickets, souvenir programs, pre-event mailings and a fee to rent the giant video scoreboard.
Gate receipts
The OHSAA makes the bulk of its money on the event from gate receipts. The stadium can fit 10,000 spectators, but attendance is a “rolling” figure that fluctuates throughout the day as the meets progress. According to collegeovals.com, the best two-day attendance figure at the stadium was in 2004 for the state meet, which drew 27,615.
Goldring said attendance at the individual state events has remained consistent.
“Where we’re seeing the biggest decline in attendance has been at the state level for girls and boys basketball and football,” he said.
That’s significant, because those are the prime money-making sports that help overcome the draining effect of sports like track and field. He attributed those declining interest figures to a worsening economy, matchups, more nonpublic teams that don’t draw a community-based interest, travel, weather, live TV and even a lessening interest due to qualifying for state finals so often.
All that, combined with rising tournament costs, means a smaller profit margin for the OHSAA. That led to its decision to cut travel reimbursements. Other cost-saving measures are likely to follow.
Contact this writer at 225-2381 or mpendleton@ DaytonDailyNews.com.
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