Starting in the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, spectators who are ejected from high school sporting events must complete a sportsmanship course in order to be allowed back to attend future events. The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) membership approved this measure by a large margin at the 2025 WIAA Annual Meeting.
The amendment, which requires ejected spectators to take a free online sportsmanship course from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and present verification to school officials, aims to address fan behavior issues that have been increasingly prevalent in high school sports. Additionally, ejected spectators will still have to miss one additional home event, even if they complete the course before the next game.
The issue of unruly fan behavior has been a concern for student participation, officials, and coaches, as it has been identified as a significant drawback for those involved in high school athletics. In response to this, the WIAA member schools had previously adopted a rule in 2021 that required anyone ejected from a game to miss one additional home game.
The new sportsmanship course requirement was put into effect immediately after appearing on the WIAA Bulletin at the end of May. This amendment is part of a larger effort to promote positive behavior and sportsmanship among spectators at high school sporting events.
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