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WHEELING -- Football fans this season can't buy tickets to Wheeling Park High School games using cash, and at least one Ohio County Board of Education wanted to know why.
Fans must instead purchase tickets through an app or with their credit card.
Board president David Croft asked what the reasoning was behind the athletic department going to cash only purchase for tickets to athletic events at WPHS.
"That came as a surprise to me," he said. "I've gotten some pushback from the community. If someone could explain to me the rationale behind this. Was it dictated by law? Why don't we take cash?
"And is there cash being taken at the concessions?"
Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones told him cash was still being accepted at concession stands as they are run by booster organizations.
"I'm not sure they have to get audited like we do," Jones continued. "But with the ticketing, we get audited. And the (state) auditors suggested it. This wasn't the only reason, but one of the reasons.
"The auditors suggested we do this or follow a lot of rules that are impossible for us to follow."
One of those rules is that the same person could not take tickets week to week if cash were involved, and Jones explained there wouldn't be that many volunteers available to do so if that were required.
He added the number of people using cash has decreased annually, while the number of those using the school's ticket app has increased. There have been no issues with the policy, or at other entities going to a no-cash policy. Most college and professional sporting events now require credit card purchase of tickets.
"And we can't have our secretaries -- like they have in the past -- carry boxes with $17,000 in cash with them and have police escorts," Jones added. "The money is already counted when it is online. All the accounting is done, and it is completely accurate.
"That being said, we've had one or two people only bring cash and not have a credit card. We work with them and let them in. We don't turn anybody away. It's just better for all those reasons."
So far, the no-cash policy pertains only to athletic events, and not those that may be put forth by the music, theater or other departments - such as the annual Festival of Sound or the spring musical.
Jones said he believes some extra tickets are set aside in the system in the event someone doesn't have a credit card with them when they come to the game.
"Occasionally, that happens as people are learning the system," he explained.
He noted there haven't been people abusing the privilege.
"If that became an obvious scam, we would address it," he said. "So far, it is not an issue."
Croft asked Jones if he saw any downsides to online ticket purchasing.
"Not if we don't turn anybody away, I don't," he asked.
Jones continued that at many events there really aren't that many people who need to buy tickets. Students in Ohio County Schools who show their identification and seniors do not pay.
"Come look at our pass list sometime. Everybody gets in for free," he said.
Business manager Steven Bieniek added state financial auditors do not want the same ticket takers taking cash working more than two games a season, and that there has to be two people working the gate at each game. Those requirements would make it "impossible" to find enough ticket takers to comply with the rule, he added.
"(Athletic Director Chris Daugherty) and I discussed it (going cashless), and it is so much easier to audit," Bieniek said. "We spoke of the problems we have with internal control problems within the audit, and we can't satisfy those control problems (when taking cash). It's going to be a lot less work internally.
"One thing that (Daugherty) told me that sold me is that we let in for free students and seniors. So that doesn't leave a whole lot of people who pay."
The board supplements the athletic department for the number of those students let into games with their student identification, he continued.
Bieniek told the board the school district was not noted on their audit for any issues pertaining to cash handling at athletic events, but that auditors did discuss with him that they were having difficulty auditing those accounts.
Board member Molly Aderholt said she doesn't want to see anyone turned away from high school sporting events.
She acknowledged that football tickets do raise revenue for the athletic department. But for other sporting events, "we just want people to come."
"I would prefer soccer didn't even charge people," Aderholt said. "Please just come. Don't feel that if you come late you still have to pay $6 to catch the last half of the game.
"I just don't like any impediments to anyone coming in and watching our kids play any of our sports."
She asked how much money was taken in at other sports, and Bieniek said he didn't have that information on hand at the meeting.
"Football, of course, drives everything," he said. "After that, boys basketball and girls basketball is going to help out.
"Ten years ago, (Daugherty) told me if you had one good football game that pays for every (sport). But I think that's gone down significantly since then."
Bieniek said he has not heard from anyone with concerns about the new cash-free admittance policy.
Aderholt said it always bothered her when her own daughters played volleyball and she saw that it cost $6 to get in to watch.
"The grandparents weren't coming because it was just too much to get in," she continued. "To expand that, we want to encourage people to come watch our kids."
She noted she understands why the athletic department would want to go cashless.
"It's the way of the world - but maybe not the way of a 14-year-old Linsly student who wants to come watch a Park game," Aderholt said. "I watched a kid at Hurricane get shaken down for $6 because he didn't go to school there."