Sunday, September 17, 2000
Elder-Highlands crowd overflows gates
Concerned officials let in thousands free due to ticket snafu
By Dave Schutte and Joe Wessels
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A miscalculation of the interest in Saturday's high school football game between Highlands and Elder at Paul Brown Stadium led to a lengthy delay of the game and, eventually, free admission for as many as 5,000 fans.
By game time (7:30 p.m.), thousands of fans waiting to get in formed a line around the stadium. The game was delayed twice to allow time for them to purchase tickets and enter.
But ticket sellers couldn't keep up with demand, and as the crowd grew restless, nervous officials finally decided at 7:55 p.m. to open the gates — and the upper decks — and let everyone in free.
As a result, many bewildered fans walked through the turnstiles with money in hand, attempting to pay for tickets. They grinned when they learned they had saved the $14 admission.
“When I went to buy a ticket, I was told the game was sold out,” said Greg Leurck of White Oak. “I started looking for a scalper but couldn't find any. I was then told there would be no admission charge.”
The crowd was estimated at 25,000. There were 18,859 tickets sold; everyone else got in free. About 13,500 tickets were sold in advance, meaning upwards of 10,000 fans attempted to buy tickets at the stadium.
Highlands High School treasurer Roger Walz said 32,000 tickets were printed, but the stadium had only five ticket sellers.
“The decision (to open the gates) was made by somebody in the best interest for the safety of the fans,” he said.
Elder had a pregame sale of 9,000 tickets, according to athletic director Dave Dabbelt, while more than 4,500 tickets were sold to Highlands supporters.
Highlands, the home team, was expected to pay about $75,000 for stadium rental and other expenses (ticket takers, concession workers, cleanup, security). The break-even point figured to be about 10,000 tickets. But the opening of the upper deck could increase the clean-up costs and cut into anticipated profits.
“The decision to allow them into the upper deck was not ours,” Walz said, “therefore we do not feel we are obligated to pay for the cleanup.”
Walz said fans who got in free can still pay up.
“We would like for the people who got in free to mail Highlands High School a check for the admission,” he said.
Many who did pay were unhappy to learn what had happened.
“I feel I've been cheated,” said Melissa Diecach, 17, a Seton High School senior. “Because I paid $10 to see the game and (other) people paid to get in it makes me mad.”
“I want my money back,” said Seton senior Kellie Gilroy, 17.
But other fans, mostly adults, said free admission to the game, despite having paid $14 themselves, was not entirely bad.
“It doesn't bother me,” said John Bode, decked out head to toe in Elder purple. “It's for the kids. (The latecomers) are probably not true Highlands or Elder fans. I'm always here an hour (early).”
Ron McKiddy, whose two sons, Gary and Bryan, attend Elder, finally bought his tickets at 7:15 p.m. after waiting in line for 40 minutes. While in line he saw an enterprising student buying extra tickets and reselling them to those farther back in line at higher than face value.
“I think they weren't expecting this kind of turnout,” the Miamisburg, Ohio, resident said. “They should have planned to have more (ticket) windows (open). They were just overwhelmed.”
Many fans apparently decided to attend the game after hearing the new stadium was open.
“I'm not a Bengals fan and this might be the only chance to see Paul Brown Stadium,” Mr. McKiddy said.
He said he had spoken to people arriving from Oktoberfest, a few blocks north, who said word had spread at the festival that the stadium was open to all comers.
“That's good. Let 'em in,” said Gus White, who was cheering for Highlands. The Bellevue resident and 1955 Highlands grad said he was upset the game had been delayed twice because people were waiting to get into the stadium. “They should have had more ticket sellers.”
“If you attend any of the Elder games, you know better,” said Mary Ann Cain of Delhi Township.
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Anderson 31, Mason 7
Batavia 21, Williamsburg 18
Beechwood 14, Covington Catholic 0
Bellevue 33, Rowan County 9
Blanchester 48, Jamestown Greenview 16
Boone County 28, Conner 7
Chaminade Julienne 38, Purcell Marian 13
Cin. Country Day 53, CHCA 7
Colerain 37, Sycamore 0
Fairfield 28, Lakota West 20
Finneytown 34, Deer Park 13
Glen Este 21, Harrison 14
Henry Clay 28, Ryle 10
Indian Hill 27, Mariemont 0
Kings 45, Norwood 10
Landmark 38, Lockland 6
Lebanon 48, Little Miami 6
Lemon-Monroe 53, Dayton Stebbins 0
Lex. Bryan Station 34, Campbell County 6
Lloyd 27, Fleming Co. 17
Loveland 33, Goshen 6
Madeira 26, Reading 12
Canton McKinley 28, LaSalle 21
Miamisburg 27, Edgewood 12
Middletown Madison 20, Carlisle 12
Milford 38, Hamilton 24
Moeller 21, Bethlehem Catholic 6
Mount Healthy 41, Taft 0
New Richmond 22, Western Brown 8
Nicholas County 49, Ludlow 0
Princeton 35, Oak Hills 13
Roger Bacon 28, McNicholas 13
Ross 25, Wilmington 6
Simon Kenton 16, Scott County 14
St. Ignatius 29, St. Xavier 10
Summit Country Day 38, N. College Hill 10
Talawanda 20, Dayton Carroll 10
Turpin 35, Northwest 28
Walnut Hills 19, Hughes 0
West Carter 42, Newport 14
Western Hills 40, Woodward 6
Winton Woods 21, Amelia 7
Withrow 33, Aiken 8
Wyoming 37, Taylor 14
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