Some could say athletic teams at any high school across America are the pinnacle of a school’s pride and spirit. And nothing gets a school’s spirit any higher than a greatly anticipated, rival vs. rival, high school athletic games such as football, basketball or even volleyball. Normally, students arrive at the game with their friends, dressed in their most outrageous school spirit inspired outfits, and head to the admissions booth to purchase their ticket with that extra five dollars they saved over the week.
Now imagine they show up and there isn’t an admissions booth. Instead, tons of parents and other students all in one line and instead of standing with their money ready to hand in, they stand with their phones out, ready to show the ticket taker their digital ticket that they purchased online. This year at McDowell, anyone without a digital ticket is getting turned away.
While making the switch however, it seems the district did not account for their audience. Most people who attend large athletic games, like football, are students. Which means teens who range in age from 14-18 are attending these events.
On the site used to purchase tickets, GoFan, there are only two options for payment methods: credit or debit. Most kids ages 14-16 do not yet own a credit or debit card and in order to attend a game, they would have to have their parents pay for their ticket online prior to leaving the house. Unless they purchase a season pass, these students would then have to ask their parents to pay for their ticket every single time they want to attend a game. This makes students have to jump through an extra hoop to attend an event when last year they could just use that five dollars they already had.
Technology is also an issue here too though. With everything going digital nowadays from fast food orders to amusement park tickets, it’s easy to say everyone owns a cellular device. While this may feel true, it is not a fact. So without access to the internet, how else will sports fans be able to attend? Also, one big inhibitor is the “no screenshots permitted” rule stated on the GoFan app. If by chance, a student does not have phone service and cannot pull up their GoFan site, they would have to rely on a screenshot of the ticket. If a student is not permitted in with a screenshot, this creates a barrier for all students who may have technical difficulties with their device as well.
Although, sometimes it’s better to stick with an old method of something rather than changing just to keep with the times. Having a physical copy of a ticket has a nostalgic factor, too. Some students or parents may want to keep their tickets as a keepsake. And in this digital world, people may just enjoy getting to buy something in person instead of online like how most products or commodities are being sold today.
To help combat technical issues for the older Millcreek audience senior citizens aged 60 and older who live within the Millcreek Township School District may be eligible to apply for a gold card either at the Millcreek Township building or the Millcreek Education Center building on 26th street.
Unfortunately, tickets will remain digital next year and most likely will continue to be sold digitally for years to come. In a world where everyday interaction and tasks are mostly controlled by technology, such as self-checkouts, online food orders, online shopping, self driving cars and more, it is a shame that even more physical interactions with other people such as simply buying a physical ticket, have been put in the past too.
