For the first time in 11 years, Duxbury student athletes will pay more to play, and their school's fields may soon carry local business advertising.
The school committee voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve two measures aimed at addressing a structural budget shortfall in the athletics program: a phased increase in student user fees and a pilot program allowing corporate sponsors to advertise on athletic facilities and social media.
The moves followed a detailed financial presentation from a task force that has met every two weeks since March. The group found that the cost of running Duxbury's athletics program has grown from roughly $975,000 before the COVID-19 pandemic to between $1.1 million and $1.2 million annually, while enrollment-based fee revenue has declined 16 percent since 2016. The district is currently projecting an average shortfall of approximately $167,000 per year over the next four years.
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, the per-student, per-season fee will increase from $250 to $300. The fee for hockey will rise from $400 to $500. The family cap will remain pegged at the equivalent of five user fees. District finance staff said they expect the increase to generate approximately $62,000 in additional annual revenue.
"The cost to operate an athletic program is significantly higher than it was even just five or six years ago," Jeff Maidment, the athletic director told the committee. "We know that we can't just keep these user fees at the same level for the next 11 years."
The committee also approved launching an advertising pilot program that task force members said could generate $35,000 in its first year and potentially $140,000 annually as it scales. The program would place branded signage on athletic fields, indoor courts, and district social media accounts, with standards drafted to limit the visual impact on game environments. A community volunteer with sponsorship experience at professional sports organizations said the district already had interested local businesses.
"What we're asking for permission on is a pilot program, just dipping our toe into how we could do this in a manner that is tasteful," he told the committee. "It does not distract from the student athletes and still, at the end of the day, helps to identify and fill that shortfall."
Advertising revenue would flow into the athletics revolving fund, which under state law can only be spent on athletic programming, covering equipment, transportation, uniforms, and officials.
The fee increase will not affect the 2026-27 school year, giving families a year's notice. Finance staff said the district can absorb the expected deficit next year within existing operating and revolving fund balances, in part by examining equipment and supply purchasing. The committee indicated it will evaluate both the advertising pilot's progress and the broader financial picture before considering any further fee adjustments.
Duxbury currently has one of the highest student athletic participation rates in the MIAA, with between 67 and 70 percent of students playing a sport. Task force members said preserving that access, including through a financial assistance fund for families who cannot afford fees, was a core principle of the recommendations.
The committee is scheduled to receive a report on the advertising pilot's progress in spring 2027.