Evanston students should never have to pay to attend an ETHS sporting event.

The high school charges $2 for students to attend basketball and football games, and all other sports are free.

This incongruity puts basketball and football on a pedestal.

Charging students to enter only these two sports alienates other athletes and practically discredits their sport’s importance.

Obviously, basketball and football are traditionally the most attended sports

However, last fall, more students attended the soccer games than some basketball games, and they went for free.

If the Athletic Dept. wants to treat ETHS athletes equally, they will make all sporting events free for students.

The revenue generated from sporting events doesn’t even go back into the sports budget.  Rather, it feeds into the main school budget.

The revenue is so minimal relative to the school budget, eliminating student admissions fees would go practically unnoticed.

The ETHS Booster Club contributes the labor force for ticket gates and concessions.  The only expense is security guards.

Other contributions from the Booster’s offset the expenses of operating basketball and  football games.

However, there is some rationale behind charging students such a small amount of money.  The intent is that the $2 will keep “trouble-makers” from entering games just to cause problems and not even to watch the game.

There’s a reason the school hires security, though.  The students should be trusted enough to go to a basketball game or football game and be respectful.

The actions of a few people do not reflect the whole student body.

It seems unreasonable that the students cannot watch their fellow classmates compete, in their own gym or on their own field, without having to pay a fee.

Although the $2 may seem like nothing, it creates an inconvenience and can deter students from supporting their classmates.

The only things students should need to enter a sporting event is a school ID.