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Duxbury committee approves athletic advertising pilot and phased fee increase to shore up program costs
Summary
Facing rising costs and a shrinking athletics revolving balance, the school committee approved a one-year advertising pilot and phased increases in participation fees (starting FY27-28) while preserving a family cap; a fund will ensure participation for students who cannot pay.
The Duxbury School Committee voted to allow an athletic advertising pilot and to raise participation fees as part of a broader effort to stabilize the district's athletics finances.
Task force members and central-office staff told the committee on June 10 that user fees, set more than a decade ago, have not kept pace with rising operating costs. "The cost of baseballs has increased four-fold since recent tariff changes," said Lisa Dambowski, the district finance representative, citing equipment and supply price shocks and lower district enrollment as drivers that reduced receipts into the athletics revolving fund.
The committee authorized a one-year, locally managed advertising and sponsorship pilot intended to test tasteful signage and social-media partnerships at school fields and courts. Volunteer parent and task-force member Graham Nelson, who advised on sponsorship models, said the pilot is intended to be "tasteful" and student-friendly: "We're looking to dip our toe in a way that supports athletes and the program without turning it into a commercial spectacle." The district will return with results and recommendations at the end of the pilot year.
Separately, the committee approved a phased increase in participation fees, to take effect in the 2027-28 school year: $300 per athlete per season (with ice hockey at $500) and a family cap equivalent to five user fees. The committee emphasized that the increase will not start immediately for the upcoming season and that a needs-based assistance fund will be maintained so fee changes do not bar students from participating.
The votes were unanimous. Committee members said they expect to revisit the policy and the pilot's results in subsequent budget cycles and stressed that the district will track impacts on participation rates and access.
