FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2001
Member schools realize $307,000 benefit in two years under new financial policies
GAINESVILLE – FHSAA member schools kept more than $161,000 in funds during the 2000-01 school year thanks to new financial policies adopted by the FHSAA Board of Directors in June 1999, Commissioner Robert W. Hughes told Board members on Monday during their first meeting of the 2001-02 school year.
The two financial policies: (1) reduced the percentage of gross receipts from preseason classics and jamborees, invitational tournaments and meets and postseason football bowl games paid to the FHSAA by host schools; and (2) established a reimbursement plan to return up to $250 of losses to schools that lose money while hosting state series events on the district and regional levels. Both policies were adopted by the Board of Directors in response to a survey of member schools in which they were asked to tell the FHSAA the financial policies of most concern to them.
During the 2000-01 school year, schools that hosted and/or participated in preseason and regular season events shared an additional $89,600 of event receipts that previously would have been sent to the FHSAA. Meanwhile, schools that lost money hosting district and regional tournaments or meets were reimbursed a total of $72,200 by the FHSAA. During the 1999-00 school year, those amounts were $82,207 and $63,538 respectively. All told in the two years the new policies have been in place, member schools have realized a total of $307,545 in savings and reimbursements.
“It is important for both the members of the Board and the member schools to know that the policies you put in place two years ago are working,” Hughes said. “Member schools are keeping more of the money they generate through their own events; and they are no longer fearful of suffering big losses if they host a state series event. It is important that everyone understand that we are and will remain committed to these policies.”
The Florida High School Activities Association is the governing body for interscholastic athletics in Florida. It has a membership of more than 650 middle, junior and senior high schools.
Contact:
Jack Watford
Director of Communications, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 170
jwatford@fhsaa.org
