The Okaloosa County School Board on Monday approved a proposal to raise admission prices at high school athletic events for the first time in more than five years, effective with the 2026-27 school year.
- Adult football tickets will increase from $8 to $10, and student football tickets will go from $5 to $6. For all other sports, adult tickets will rise from $5 to $7, and student tickets from $4 to $5. Tickets purchased through the GoFan app will include an additional $1 service fee.
The proposal was developed in coordination with principals, athletic directors and School Advisory Councils at the district’s high schools.
Superintendent Marcus Chambers thanked the principals for presenting a unified plan, noting all six were present at the meeting with their athletic directors.
- “This is the first time I can remember that all of our schools will be on the exact same pricing, so it’ll make sense for all of our parents and our communities out there,” Assistant Superintendent John Spolski said.
Spolski said the proposal was the product of months of discussion and noted the district compared its pricing with Walton and Santa Rosa counties. He said Okaloosa’s new prices remain $2 to $4 below what the Florida High School Athletic Association charges at state playoff events. He added that the district kept a discounted rate for students compared to adults.
Niceville Principal Charlie Marello outlined specific costs putting pressure on athletic programs. He said helmet reconditioning and recertification cost Niceville $16,000 this year. The girls soccer team’s Final Four trip to DeLand ran just under $15,000 in hotel and charter bus expenses, he said. A full JV and varsity baseball season now exceeds $7,000 in umpire fees alone.
- “The one- to two-dollar increase in ticket price isn’t going to completely offset those costs, but any little bit at this point would help,” Marello said.
Marello explained that ticket revenue is deposited into sport-specific accounts at each school, allowing coaches to manage funds for expenses like postseason travel.
Marello also noted the FHSAA has raised its own playoff ticket prices twice in the past six years while district prices remained flat. FHSAA playoff admission currently ranges from $12 to $16 for football and $8 for all other sports.
Tickets will continue to be sold through GoFan or via cash sales at each school (not at the gates). Pre-ticket sales are available for those who want to pay cash and can coordinate with each individual school’s front office.
