Youth and Education

MPS lifts basketball fans ban for WIAA playoffs

Two sanctioned schools will have fans back in the stands

Two sanctioned schools will have fans back in the stands

Fans of two Milwaukee Public Schools basketball teams will be allowed to attend games during the 2007 Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) basketball playoffs.

MPS Superintendent William Andrekopoulos had banned fan attendance as a result of fighting after a game between Bradley Tech High School and Bay View High School. That ban ended with the last game of the regular season, which took place on February 23.

"We had set the time for the ban to end with the last regular season game," said MPS Superintendent Andrekopoulos. "That time is here and it is important for us to move forward."

Spectator rules put in place last year will continue at MPS home games during the WIAA basketball playoffs. The rules include:

o Limiting ticket sales to 75 percent of capacity.

o Pre-selling all game tickets, limiting ticket sales at the door to games not sold out.

o Limiting the number of tickets purchased to two per person.

o Banning all electronic devices from gyms, including those of adults and students.

o Closing and locking doors at 8 p.m.--no one admitted after that time.

o Banning all drinks from gyms.

o Limiting music at games to pre-game warm-ups and performance accompaniment.

o Requiring the presence of a school administrator from the home team at all games.

o Posting signs with the additional restrictions outside each gymnasium.

o Requesting police presence at all games.

o Continuing the use of walk-through and handheld scanners at all games.

For more information contact Bill Molbeck, MPS Commissioner of Athletics, at (414) 475-8219.