BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Mar. 16.2018 – DESPITE the outcries from the public over the hike in ticket prices for this weekend’s RAMS Primary School Championships and the TDC Interschools Championships next week, the St. Kitts-Nevis Amateur Athletics Association (SKNAAA) maintains it was necessary due in large part to its financial position.
President of the SKNAAA, Val Henry has declared that the general admission prices have remained the same, because that is the area where there is a large presence.
“The General Admission tickets for 2018 are lower than they were in 2017… The majority of the spectators go general admission,” he said. “We have had crowds as much as 8000 people.”
President Henry disclosed that for the RAMS Primary School Championships and CARIFTA Trials, general admission tickets are $10, while the 2017 was $15.
For the Interschool Championships, he said it is cheaper on Saturday than it was last year, while the tickets for the Sunday will well see a steep increase.
Henry, while addressing reporters at a press conference, revealed that it will cost the governing body over EC$200,000 to run the Championships over the next two weekends.
He said that cost includes, maintenance of the athletes, security, cleaning, amongst other expenses in order to make the meet a success.
The association took a decision this year to not print general admission tickets owing to the high cost..
“It will cost us more to print the tickets than the money that we would derive from the sale of the tickets,” Henry disclosed.
The Kim Collins Stadium, which is the hot ticket, will see a significant increase on the final day – Sunday (Mar. 25).
“With the $200,000 costs facing us for the entire two weekends, because as an organization we have to look at it, we took a decision that this year, the Kim Collins Pavilion tickets would be different on the Sunday.”
The Kim Collins Pavilion tickets for last year were $25 for the Saturday entry, but this year will cost $35. On Sunday that will go up to $50.
Minister of Sports, Hon. Shawn Richards disclosed that he has been getting a number of questions on the costing but pointed out that it is really about giving support to the student-athletes.
A number of stakeholders have come on board to support the children and so too should parents he said.
“As a matter of fact, you pay more than $50 to go and see artistes from overseas, so if you are being asked to pay $35, $15 $50, or $10 to see your children; I think that is a sacrifice that all parents should make for their children.”
