Money talks at Grady’s stadium and a new addition is here to stay. Alongside the enormous advertisement for MetroPCS installed last school year, ads for Superior Plumbing have now made their stamp on the concrete stands of the stadium. Banners for Sweet Samba, Peachtree Pest Control and The Whole Dog Market are displayed on the surrounding gate. Although some were disturbed by the presence of the new advertisements, many agreed that APS could use the money for its athletics program.
According to APS Athletic Director Jeff Beggs, the revenue from gate receipts collected at football games, basketball games and track meets is not enough to fund all 22 sports within APS athletics.
“We have to look for alternative funding sources to provide for all the needs within the athletic programs at the high school and middle-school level,” Beggs said.
Sophomore Christian Peterson agrees that more sponsors would be beneficial to APS athletics, but added that “if more sponsors’ ads are put up in the stadium, soon that’s all it’ll be, and the whole experience will be different.”
It will certainly be more lucrative.
“Revenue gained from this advertising initiative is equally distributed throughout the athletic programs for all high school and middle school athletic programs,” Beggs said. He added that the distribution is based on need inventories of athletic equipment and uniforms. The inventories are done by the department at the end of each sports season and sports year.
Junior Zach Peters indicated a need for boys’ lacrosse jerseys, saying that up until last year, the team wore old junior-varsity football jerseys. Junior Colin Bray said the football team could use more money for practice jerseys and new weights for the weight room.
While it may take time to see significant results from the increased revenue, the department is confident that the funds will greatly benefit the athletic program. The improvement will be gradual, Beggs said, because it will take time for the advertising revenue to grow to a significant amount.
“Most every high school throughout the state makes additional revenue from advertising and has been successful,” Beggs said. “There is no reason why it can’t be successful for us here within the Atlanta Public Schools.”
But what’s in it for the sponsors? Grady’s stadium is not only in the city, it is also in a central location surrounded by restaurants, grocery stores and Piedmont Park. Not only will shoppers and joggers see the advertisements, but Grady students and their families will be exposed to the signs every day.
Beggs said profit was not the sole reason the sponsors decided to advertise on the stadium.
“The sponsors have faith in our school system and the mission and values of our athletic program,” he said, “and [they] feel the need to assist in sponsoring the student-athletes within the Atlanta Public Schools centralized athletic program.”
