The Cost Of Keeping High School Games Safe

(CBS)  More than seven million dollars is being spent to protect this year's Super Bowl, but it's not just professional sports that are keeping security experts busy. As CBS News' Russ Mitchell reports, there is a stepped up effort to keep order in the stands at high school games, too.

Hoopla around Indiana high school basketball has been a tradition for generations. What's new is a growing sense of danger surrounding the games.

Smith is principal of South Side High in Ft. Wayne and his school – like many others – is spending as much as $1,000 per week to hire police and private security for sporting events.

"At an event like this all kinds of people are coming and going for all kinds of reasons," Smith said. "It's not as secure as a normal school day."

And because of that insecurity, events in the stands are overshadowing rivalries on the field.

"Violent activity by parents, gang activity, fighting, stabbings and even shootings are becoming more common and school officials are often not prepared to deal with it," said Kenneth Trump, a school safety consultant.

CBS News has identified 65 major instances of violence at high school sporting events in the past three years, including 7 deaths.

The most recent: a fight at a Milwaukee basketball game resulted in six injuries and 10 arrests. On Tuesday, Bradley Tech's boys team defeated Bay View High School 82-81 in an emotionally charged overtime upset Tuesday night. Tech students rushed their court in celebration, but it soon turned rowdy, with several fights breaking out on the gym's floor and one woman jumping on the back of a police officer.

"In many communities, they are losing grandma and grandpa, mom and dad because these people are afraid to come to the games on Friday and Saturday nights," Trump said.

Trying to keep games safe has become an expensive proposition. Money that once purchased new uniforms now pays police overtime.

Chicago now spends $650,000 a year on sports security.

Indianapolis spends $300,000.

Charlotte spends over half a million dollars.

"As the fans approach the gym and see the presence they realize it's a game and it's for the students," said Damian Huttenhoff of the Broward County Athletic Association

Broward County Florida gives each of its schools a yearly allowance to spend on game security. Supplemental funding is available for heated rivalries, games which can have as many as 12 officers.

Fear has forced some teams to play during school hours in empty stadiums.

John Weicker is director of security for public and private schools in Indiana's Allen County. A shooting – at, of all things, a county track meet – opened his eyes to the threat. He hired security consultants for Major League Baseball to review procedures.

"Ten years ago I started seeing a change," Weicker said. "This is what is required to hold a safe and secure event in the Bible belt in the heartland of the country."

Just one incident can devastate the reputation of community for years. This brawl in Kentucky a decade ago is still one of the top videos on YouTube.

Such mayhem is rare, but the threat of violence is real, forcing school officials to adopt a sobering game strategy.

As Weicker describes it: "Give kids a chance to be kids and parents a chance to be parents and cheer for the team without getting shot or stabbed or something crazy happening."