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50/50 tickets of the future now at Battalion games

'The benefit also is that the crowd gets to see what the jackpot is because it’s going to be displayed on the video board throughout the game as it grows, and it’s displayed on the video monitor at the main desk'
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Battalion Communications Director Scott Walpole looks at the new device which is now being used to sell 50/50 tickets at Battalion games. Photo by Chris Dawson.

The days of receiving an arm's length sleeve of 50/50 tickets will be a thing of the past this year at North Bay Battalion games.  

KidSport North Bay, which partners with the Battalion and has raised more than $500,000 in proceeds since the team arrived here in 2013, will be using new technology much like they use at professional sporting events.  

“We are finally getting into modern technology, right? This electronic 50/50 ticketing has been piloted at Maple Leaf games and been piloted at Blue Jays games for a couple of years,” said Dave Mendicino, the Chair of KidSport North Bay.   

“So the lottery office is now rolling it out to everybody that wants to do it. So basically what you’re going to see with the electronic 50/50 is, you’re going to go up, pick out whatever you want, 1 for 2, 3 for 5, 10 for 10, 40 for 20… It’s very simple. It’s going to be easier for the ticket sellers because they’re not going to have to count out every ticket, like if someone wants 40 for 20, I mean you could be there for 10 minutes getting your tickets. Right here it’s just a push of a button. Do you want 40 for 20? Push a button, the ticket comes up, and you’ve got your ticket.” 

The digital sales also allow the 50/50 sales to be updated throughout the game.   

“The benefit also is that the crowd gets to see what the jackpot is because it’s going to be displayed on the video board throughout the game as it grows, and it’s displayed on the video monitor at the main desk,” said Mendicino.  

KidSport hopes that the new technology will continue to build on the Battalion-KidSport relationship. 

KidSport in North Bay has benefited immensely from the partnership that we have with the Battalion, we’re very fortunate that we’re their charity of choice,” said Mendicino

“What it has allowed us to do is greatly expand the number of kids we assist. Before the Battalion, we were assisting 150-200 kids; last year it was over 400. The year before it was 450. We’ve gradually gotten up to that. The other thing it’s allowed us to do is, KidSport traditionally covers, because a lack of funding, we’d cover the traditional sports; hockey, baseball, and soccer. This has allowed us to expand where we cover 18 different sporting activities now. It’s not just football, hockey, soccer. It could be horseback riding, it could be gymnastics, as long as there's a coaching element to the activity, we’re covering it. The partnership with the Battalion has allowed us to expand the program, and it has allowed us to assist more kids.”

The Battalion and KidSport experimented with the new system during Sunday’s game against the Owen Sound Attack.  They will have it in full operation at the home opener which takes place on Friday, September 22nd against the Barrie Colts.   

With files from Hannah Knight


Chris Dawson

About the Author: Chris Dawson

Chris Dawson has been with BayToday.ca since 2004. He has provided up-to-the-minute sports coverage and has become a key member of the BayToday news team.
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