Jefferson Elementary School, in orange, takes on Perry Elementary School in a 2025 flag football tournament at Veterans Stadium. The Erie School Board is considering allowing advertising inside the stadium and other Erie School District athletic facilities.
DANA MASSING/ERIE TIMES-NEWS
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The Erie School District is looking to tap a new revenue source to help support its athletic facilities and programs.
Advertisers, including Erie School District alumni, could potentially feed hundreds of thousands of dollars into athletics each year if the School Board approves a sponsorship and advertising policy. The board heard a presentation on the proposal at an Oct. 7 meeting and could vote on the policy later this month.
“I think this is a great idea,” School Director Zakara Sharif said. “It’s time.”
Where would the advertising occur?
If approved by the board, the policy would allow sponsorship banners to be hung inside the gyms at Erie High School and East, Wilson and Strong Vincent middle schools as well as the Erie High pool. Banners also would go up at Veterans Stadium, Biletnikoff Field, the Ainsworth baseball field and the Harding softball field.
Assistant Superintendent Neal Brokman told the board that the banners would measure 3 feet by 6 feet. An advertiser or sponsor would pay $2,500 per year for two years for a banner.
All advertising would follow district guidelines.
Asked about revenue potential, Brokman estimated 40 banners could be placed between the upper and lower bowls at Veterans Stadium and 20 to 30 could hang in the Erie High gym. Ainsworth could hold at least 30 and maybe 20 at Harding, he said.
In his Oct. 7 presentation to the board, Brokman outlined other advertising opportunities. He said the scorer’s table at Erie High allows for ads on the front that could be offered for $1,000 per year. He said the district uses GameTime Radio to provide music before games and at halftime and ads could start there at $600 for one per game per year, with increasing prices for various packages.
This new policy wouldn’t give advertisers the right to rename a facility or field. Brokman said that would still be governed by an older existing policy.
Why sell ads at athletic facilities?
“The intention behind this policy … is to have a new revenue stream that will go toward the athletic department for infrastructure upgrades much like a needed (Erie Veterans Stadium) scoreboard,” Brokman said.
He told school directors that the scoreboard at Veterans Stadium needs to be replaced. A new version of the current basic scoreboard on the stadium’s northern end could cost about $42,000, he said. Replacing the one above the concession stand would run about $21,000. A bigger northern end scoreboard with more options and elements could range from $250,000 to $500,000, Brokman said.
Who would buy ads?
Brokman and school directors mentioned examples of various local businesses that could pay for banners, such as local law firms.
School Director Leah Merski said there was the potential to tap into the Erie School District’s many alumni.
Sumner Nichols, another board member, indicated that having the banners would show Erie students that people are behind the city’s public schools as much as other local schools.
What’s next?
The board is likely to vote on the advertising and sponsorship policy at an Oct. 14 regular meeting at 6 p.m. at the district administration building, 1910 Sassafras St. Meetings are livestreams on the district’s YouTube channel.
Dana Massing can be reached at dmassing@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie School Board considers allowing advertising at athletic facilities
Reporting by Dana Massing, Erie Times-News / Erie Times-News
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This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 5:11 AM.