RACINE -- In an effort to improve safety and security at high school events, Safe Sport Zone of Racine unveils a new online ticketing program.

"This is a free, web-based program schools can use to ensure a safer environment," said Jay Hammes, athletic director at Racine Horlick High School and Certified Athletic Administrator.

"All schools are concerned about security and this helps school districts provide a safer environment by monitoring and controlling the attendees at the event," said Hammes, who noted the popularity of online ticketing by the airlines and local movie theaters.

"Once I get through the security checkpoints at the airport, I feel pretty darn safe. With the changes in society, safety at schools is becoming the number one priority."

Milwaukee Public Schools have been searching for ways to curb student violence for years. In January 2007, a fight erupted after a basketball game at Bradley Tech High School; 20 people were arrested and the district passed a ban on cell phones to prevent violence.

Hammes said the online ticketing program would specifically identify the ticket holder by name.

"Some of the larger urban schools have tried selling advance tickets, but there was no name on the ticket as a way of preventing violence and that hasn't worked effectively," said Hammes whose school in Racine started a ticket pre-sale program last December.

"Matching the pre-sold ticket with an I.D. is just like what happens at airport security."

Each online ticket will be sold with a 75-cent surcharge, a minimal expense, according to Hammes when you consider other outlets are charging a service fee upwards of $3 per ticket.

While security will improve, Hammes admitted gate revenue may take a hit. "It will hurt sales because you wouldn't have a crowd anywhere near if you would have sold tickets at the gate," he said.

Hammes said ticket holders for games that are canceled or rescheduled for weather-related reasons would be reimbursed or their ticket would be valid at a rescheduled event.

The Safe Sport Zone online ticketing program has received endorsements from National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) of Indianapolis, Indiana and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) of Indianapolis.

NIAAA director Bruce Whitehead said his group endorsed Safe Sport Zone for several reasons. "This is a service that goes along the lines of Ticketmaster, but it has the ability to limit who can purchase the tickets and it's not an online service that charges exorbitant fees," he said.

Whitehead predicted a learning curve with the program because of the number of schools that will not provide walk-up ticket sales.

"Schools that decide to use this service for contests will have to do a very good job of educating their public about purchasing tickets in advance," he said. "However, as the program advances, it will get more sophisticated where tickets could be sold at the gate."

The National Federation of State High Schools Association recently published an article on Safe Sport Zone, which discussed a survey by master teachers who cited their most important prerequisite to success in the classroom. "The unanimous response was: provide me with a safe and secure environment. The same feeling must persist for our after-school events as well," said Hammes.

The Safe Sport Zone online ticketing program has already received verbal commitments from schools in Chicago, Milwaukee and Detroit.

Milwaukee Rufus King basketball coach Jim Gosz plans on using online ticketing for his Dec. 13 basketball tournament at Marquette University's Al McGuire Center.

"The online ticketing will make it easier for people throughout the state to get a hold of tickets conveniently," said Gosz, who stressed the goal is "convenience for the fan and hassle-free sales."