How many people will pay for a ticket to an art show compared to a basketball game or football game? A lot of schools are going to the pay to play idea in a lot of sports.
You are presenting an economic argument, while I'm attempting to present a moral imperative to support education within the schools, rather than sacrificing it to preserve school sporting events.
Those who do not see the benefit of the Arts upon society, do not understand one of the large purposes of living. People who do not know, for example, that music and mathematics are intrinsically related, are also ignorant of the historical significances of such.
Pay to play is fine. However, the true economic cost to play in school, is much more than a student ability to do so. Its more accurate to state, "Student subsidizes a portion to school to play".