Webster City’s Chase Rattenborg hurls a pitch towards homeplate at Lynx Field in July 2021.

In this day and age, it isn’t cheap to outfit student athletes with uniforms and equipment.

It’s also not cheap when paying out of the budget for game officials.

Then, there’s the thought of transportation on top of those necessities.

If the show must go on, a school’s athletic department needs to generate revenue to offset the expenses.

The idea of obtaining funds through the turnstile was one of the updates that Webster City Athletics Director Jess Howard presented to the Webster City Community School District Board of Directors Monday at the WCCSD Administration Building, 820 Des Moines St., Webster City.

During the 15-minute dialogue, Howard discussed a plan for bringing in gate revenue from both baseball and softball. Currently, nearly all of the North Central Conference members charge for admission at their summer sporting events.

Up until now, Webster City hasn’t.

When the summer of 2023 rolls around, the admission fee for taking in a Lynx baseball or softball game will likely be $8 for adults and $5 for students.

This was also brought on by district contests held at Lynx Field in the summer of 2022.

“When I took over last summer, we had the opportunity to host a district baseball tournament and its two games,” Howard said. “We were able to logistically take care of entrances into the complex. We had to charge because it was state-sanctioned.”

Due to the importance of playoff baseball, Howard reasons that there will be more spectators entering Lynx Field, situated beyond Webster City High School, in future seasons.

Compared to softball, which only has one way in and one way out, baseball has three distinct entry points.

However, Howard did bring up Little League passes for spectators arriving at the complex to enjoy youth baseball and softball. Should Little League be held prior to high school events, those players and families can remain at the complex and receive a glimpse of the Lynx in action.

The activity, staff and senior citizen passes will also remain valid through the summer sports season.

“We’re not trying to jab anybody from Webster City,” said Howard. “But, every time that we go to a conference away game, our parents are getting charged and we’re not taking any of that in.”

Howard stated that two softball officials are paid $110 each, and baseball officials are given $130 per game. In most sports, concessions usually help pay for referees and umpires, but it’s not the case with summer sports — where the concession stand is used for fundraisers for various school-based or local organizations.

“We’re kicking money out every single night, and not bringing any in,” Howard said. “Especially with us not having concessions, also. Concessions usually help, but we don’t have that with baseball and softball. By charging, we can build up our athletics funds, so we can continue to provide the right environment for all of our athletes.”

Howard also touched on logistics, manning the gates and parking. Howard then relayed that communication through the media will also be key to inform fellow NCC schools that Webster City will charge spectators for attendance in the coming months.