The face of Metea’s athletic facilities could radically change for athletes and spectators, as District 204 looks to act on a policy allowing corporate sponsorships and advertisements in all three district high schools for the near future. Allowing sponsorships and advertisements could help offset the costs of maintaining and improving facilities for the booster club and administration.

“It will help with limited budgets we have with athletics. There is a lot of very expensive equipment that we use and things we need that go along with running the athletic department,” Metea’s new athletic director, Daniel DeBruycker, said.

DeBruycker has been working with assistant superintendent Dr. Louis Lee and athletic directors from Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley to help work out the policies and plans for adding advertisements. Advertisements could potentially be placed in the gymnasium, the commons, stadium fences, and the auditorium.

No items of purchase have been guaranteed yet, but DeBruycker gave examples of things like refurbishing wrestling mats and maintaining equipment to ensure safety for athletes.

Sometimes poor advertisement choices have caused anger and backlash for being too over-the-top and distracting to scenery or a piece of architecture. Senior football player Mitch Webb is hesitant about advertisements, due to the damage it could bring to the school’s image. “I am okay with the idea of advertising, but I would have an issue with it if a company chooses to post something that is an eyesore to the school’s facilities,” Webb said.

DeBruycker plans to make sure that the Mustangs will still be well represented, even with advertisements.”We want to make this classy, we don’t want a banner every ten feet and turn ourselves into something we are not. We are still Metea Valley,” DeBruycker said.

The three athletic directors will meet with Lee monthly to discuss more temporary sponsorships and advertisements. More permanent advertisements, on things like scoreboards, will need to be approved by the school board.

Additionally, Webb hopes that advertisers and sponsors chosen will positively reflect the views and interests of the Mustang community. “I would not want to see something like McDonald’s being advertised – I think it would be weird to have sponsorship for athletes by a company known for having food that promotes poor health,” Webb added.

All sponsorships will be fitting for the high school environment. “We will avoid anything that is not appropriate for a high school,” DeBruycker said.

By Drew Danko

Online Editor