Will CMS’ ticket restriction policy be used during football playoffs, basketball?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- CMS keeps the ticket-restriction policy for postseason games to limit crowds.
- Schools and police will designate HP/E status weekly to set ticket caps and security.
- Procedures include no gate sales, timed cutoff, entry limits, officers and concessions.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will continue a new policy that can limit available tickets to high school football games into the postseason.
The policy could also affect CMS teams in the NCHSAA soccer playoffs, scheduled to begin Tuesday, and the district said it will also extend to basketball games.
“As we head into the playoffs, a safe and family friendly environment is our goal,” the district said in an email replying to an Observer inquiry. “Each host school will determine their individual procedures this week.”
At least four CMS football games were deemed “high profile” this fall — and fans were faced with limited or no ticket sales at the gate as well as ticket caps overall.
The district didn’t identify any games last week, the final date of the football regular-season, as what it calls “HP/E,” or high profile with extraordinary circumstances.
What happens during CMS’ HP/E games?
Under HP/E, CMS uses additional security measures to help ensure safety at games.
The district said it designates games as HP/E for many reasons, including large expected crowds, previous incidents at the host facility, proximity to non-school events — and at the request of the school, district or law enforcement.
One school last week self-imposed some restrictions throughout the county during a slate of big games, in which teams often faced their rivals.
South Mecklenburg, which played Myers Park at Waddell High School because of campus renovations, decided on its own to limit ticket sales. School officials told The Observer the move was made over concerns about seating and parking at Waddell.
CMS has said the decision to name a game as HP/E will be made each Monday afternoon after what it calls a “collaborative decision” among CMS leadership, law enforcement and school officials.
HP/E procedures
If a game is determined to be HP/E, some, or all, of the following procedures may be used:
- No tickets for sale at the gate. Ticket sales are cut off by 2 p.m. the day before the event. The district says this gives a true estimate of crowd size and eliminates turning patrons away at the gate.
- Ticket caps. The number of available tickets is determined in the security planning meeting. At previous high-profile games this season, ticket caps were 1,050-1,500. Most local stadiums seat about 4,000 fans.
- Additional security and law enforcement.
- Limited entry and exit points and separate concession stands.
- Attendance limitations. Students from non-competing schools are not granted entry; no senior or employee badges allowed at the gate (only tickets); and no one under 16 (18 optional) is allowed entry without an adult.
Upcoming CMS football and basketball games
This week, there are four CMS home football playoff games — Ardrey Kell at Providence; Palisades vs. South Mecklenburg at Waddell; Hopewell at Butler; and Ragsale at Olympic. In the upcoming weeks, though, the games will grow in stature, and interest, as the playoffs continue.
In addition, high school basketball games begin Nov. 14. There are often non-conference matchups with big interest as well as tournaments, including the George Lynch Invitational at Myers Park Nov. 21-22 and the Charlotte Hoops Challenge at Harding High School on Nov. 28-29.
That Hoops Challenge will feature 33 teams playing 23 games over two days.
“Basketball procedures will mirror our football procedures,” the district said in its email. “Each location will assess security needs on a weekly basis to ensure a safe and family friendly event.”
