Confusion over Bell Game tickets sparks controversy
Central High School parents question seat distribution
BRAWLEY, Calif., (KYMA, KECY) - The highly anticipated 77th edition of the Bell Game here in the month of April isn't coming without confusion over ticket availability.
Some parents of Central Union High School football student athletes expressed their concerns over the game's limited ticket allotment, that allow Spartans football players, band members and cheerleaders to purchase only 2 tickets each for parents or family observers.
Earlier today, the number of tickets for the CUHS athletic participants increased to 4 each.
This year's Bell Game venue will be Warne Field at Brawley Union High School, where the home team Wildcats will have a larger ticket purchasing allowance of 6 per student athlete, band member or cheerleader.
News 11 Sports spoke with Brawley Union High School Athletic Director Billy Brewer, who credited the decision for the ticket limitations on both sides being in accordance to the current Imperial County Health Department recommendations.
By those recommendations, only 33% of the home and visiting stands can be occupied in order to comply by current COVID social distancing restrictions.
The 6 ticket to 4 ticket ratio between observers for both the Wildcats and Spartans programs is based on the size of the stands; the home side being larger than the visiting side.
Brewer points out that this ticket allotment scenario commonly favors the home team in any given game, considering the home stands most often have a higher capacity than the visiting stands within any given high school football venue.
For anyone planning on attending, outside of anyone involved in the big game, no one under the age of 18 will be permitted to observe the contest on the site of Warne Field.
The 77th edition of the Bell Game kicks off this Friday night at 7 p.m. News 11 will provide complete pre-game coverage beginning on the Early Edition at 5 p.m, and wrapping up on Friday Night Lights at 10:15 p.m.
