At Rowan, change was bad

At Rowan, change was bad

The Pennsauken-Millville South Jersey Group 4 title game at Rowan University drew an estimated 7,500 to 8,000 spectators, according to Rowan associate athletic director Dan Gilmore. But hundreds of fans still were in line when the game began at 7 p.m. because the ticket office did not have enough quarters to make change for the $5.50 adult ticket price, according to NJSIAA assistant director Larry White, the site director at Rowan.

The price was mandated by the office of the New Jersey commissioner of education. Ticket prices at non-high school sites are set by the state department of education if the NJSIAA wants to charge more than high schools do for regular-season games. The DOE authorized $5.50 tickets for adults at football games at the College of New Jersey, Kean, and Rowan.

"We met with them right after we received the ticket prices . . . and the first thing we asked was, 'Why $5.50?' " White said. "We told them this was going to be a nightmare for the ticket booths."   - Phil Anastasia