Board debates cashless ticketing as parents and members question fees and equity
Summary
Board members discussed the district's use of GoFan electronic ticketing, questions about per‑ticket fees, safety and whether the district or parents should absorb costs; superintendent and staff said the system reduces cash handling risks and provides quarterly rebates to schools.
Board members debated the district’s move toward cashless ticketing and the use of the GoFan platform at the July 10 finance committee meeting, with several members questioning the per‑ticket fee passed to parents and others emphasizing safety and administrative efficiencies.
Board member Miss Gallagher said she is “not a fan” of GoFan and objected to paying convenience fees on top of ticket prices. “I don't like that I have to pay $10 a ticket plus a dollar on top of it, and I have five people in my family. That's five extra dollars for every single game I go to,” Gallagher said.
Superintendent Javi and other staff explained the district’s rationale: cash handling at sporting events creates safety and accountability risks and requires significant staff time to reconcile receipts. Javi said the district does not pay an upfront GoFan license fee; the district pays only the per‑ticket processing fee and receives a quarterly rebate that is returned to schools. “We do get a rebate back on GoFan that's quarterly. It's been going to the schools,” he said.
Board members pressed several operational questions: who decides whether a particular event is cashless (the superintendent said principals currently decide), whether alternative payment platforms could reduce fees, and whether credit‑card terminals were feasible at some sites. Staff said credit‑card terminals require reliable internet and create PCI compliance obligations; the district is piloting some credit‑card processing in central offices but cited field connectivity limits.
Some board members asked the administration to quantify total fees collected by GoFan and the size of quarterly rebates; staff agreed to provide figures. Others suggested rolling processing costs into ticket prices or exploring alternative vendors, while staff noted convenience, security and the decline of cash use as reasons to move cashless.
Why it matters: payment platforms change who bears transaction costs and can affect attendance and equity for families without smartphones or bank accounts.
Next steps: staff agreed to provide the board with cost and rebate figures for GoFan and to explore alternatives and pilot options for credit‑card processing where feasible.
