‘This pisses people off’; Pennsylvania bill aims to eliminate cashless PIAA events

(WHTM) — Pennsylvanians love their high school sports, and state playoffs are underway. There will be lots of cheering from the stands, but how fans get into the various venues has lawmakers booing.

While fans are rooting for different schools, they all have one thing in common: they bought tickets online, and cash is not accepted; which to some, is not acceptable.

“It disenfranchises a whole plethora of people, senior citizens, especially, as we have watched over and over and over again, senior citizens standing outside the gate not knowing how to get in,” said Rep. Dan Moul (R-Adams).

Moul’s House Bill 685

wouldn’t eliminate cashless payments but would require high schools to also accept cash. The bill was a winner in committee.

“I’ve never seen one get this much response in all these years,” said Moul. “This pisses people off.”

“We have some concerns because some of our championship sites are cashless, such as Penn State and the GIANT Center,” said Bob Lombardi, the Executive Director of the PIAA.

Lombardi says the online-only option gets crowds into venues more quickly and makes it easier to monitor their sizes. Several principals and athletic directors prefer it.

“That helps them account for how many people come in and how much money you have,” said Lombardi. “It guards against theft, the guards against robbery, and guards against those types of internal controls that a business department wants.”

“I’m not interested in making their life easier,” said Rep. Moul. “I’m interested in taking care of my senior citizens.”

Lombardi insists no one has ever been turned away from a PIAA event and staff will walk customers through the process. He argues that every major stadium in the state is cashless.

“I’m not trying to disparage people my age, but everybody is going this way,” said Lombardi. “We haven’t had an issue. We’ve been doing this for almost five years now.”

“I have seen too many people that have issues with this,” said Moul. “You’re either very disconnected from the community, or you’re being very disingenuous. Either way, it’s not good.”

It is important to note that cash or no cash in regular season games is up to the local schools, but district and state playoffs are under the PIAA’s purview.