“CPI” means the average annual increase, expressed as a decimal, in the consumer price index for the New York City and Philadelphia areas during the fiscal year preceding the prebudget year as reported by the United States Department of Labor.

b. A public school district shall not join pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1979, c.172 (C. 18A:11-3), any voluntary association which oversees activities associated with Statewide interscholastic sports programs if:

(1) the association charges a cable television company an increased licensing fee, rate, assessment or other consideration for the broadcast of playoff games over local access or local originating channels, or both, compared to the licensing fee, rate, assessment or other consideration charged by the district for the broadcast of regular season games over local access or local originating channels, or both;

(2) the association requires increased ticket prices for attendance at playoff games compared to regular season games unless the increased ticket prices are required to offset event-related expenses including, but not limited to, rental, staffing, security, or insurance costs. If increased ticket prices are required to offset event-related expenses at a playoff game held at a public school, a public school district shall not join an association that increases adult ticket prices at that playoff game by more than 300 percent of the cost of a regular season adult ticket charged for a comparable event at the school district where the playoff game is held.

The association shall provide for discounted prices on student tickets for playoff games due to economic hardship, as determined by the principal of the school in which the student is enrolled. The association may provide discounted ticket prices for other groups as deemed necessary by the association in consultation with the school district where the playoff game is held.

The association shall file playoff game ticket prices with the Commissioner of Education no later than 60 days prior to the scheduled playoff game, except that the association may subsequently file adjusted playoff game ticket prices with the commissioner no later than 30 days prior to the scheduled playoff game;

(3) the association charges a membership fee for the 2009-2010 school year which exceeds the membership fee for the 2008-2009 school year multiplied by 1 plus the CPI, and in any subsequent school year charges a membership fee that exceeds the prior school year fee multiplied by 1 plus the CPI, unless the Commissioner of Education deems a greater increase in the membership fee is necessary;

(4) the association charges members an entry fee for teams or individuals competing in playoff games for the 2009-2010 school year which exceeds the entry fee for the 2008-2009 school year multiplied by 1 plus the CPI, and in any subsequent school year charges members an entry fee that exceeds the prior school year fee multiplied by 1 plus the CPI, unless the Commissioner of Education deems a greater increase in the entry fee is necessary; or

(5) the association charges members any assessment in addition to the membership fee, unless the Commissioner of Education deems an additional assessment is necessary.

c. If any provision of this section is determined by the Commissioner of Education to jeopardize the amateur status of the student-athlete, that provision shall be null and void.

L.2007, c.41, s.1; amended 2023, c.161.