Quote:
Originally Posted by Nevadaref
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You can characterize it that way if you wish, but I think that the reality of it was that with only a small number of officials in the area and they all belong to the same association, the schools didn't have a choice once the officials decided that it was time to go to three. They basically got told this is what we are going to do and if you don't like it, then you can find and provide your own officials.
The schools made a reasonable claim that their yearly budget which had been set prior to the start of the school year didn't account for the desire of the officials' association. Therefore, the officials group agreed to work under the current amount for that year and then the schools would have to budget for the increase the following year.
If the people in charge of those schools don't care for the officials anyway and want to hard@sses about the few extra dollars on top of it, then what have you got to lose by telling them to take it or leave it? If they won't give you guys three, then work somewhere else that will and let these folks find other people willing to stick it out in the 2-man system.
Plus it would save you a long trip to a rural area if you live in the city. I can only see this being a negative for officials who live in the less populated areas or if you have a school which is very classy and takes good care of the officials who work their contests. We have a few of those in our outlying areas and do enjoy going out there for those communities.
Finally, I will add that I would consider a move to 3-man to be comparable to a raise. How big of a raise would depend upon how much of a cut it would take to get it introduced. Yet if you could get three at the same rate, then that would have to be considered a BIG raise. You are now only doing 2/3 of the work. So really if you drop your current per official game fee by anything less than 1/3, then you are actually gaining.
For example, if each ref is getting $50 to work 2-man, then tell the schools that you will do 3-man for $40 each. That's only a $10 cut per ref, and only a $20 increase for the schools, but when the added benefits of 3-man are thrown in and the realization of the increase in opportunites are acknowledged, it has to be a positive.
You could even get a $3 increase per year, per official and be back to what you were making in 2-man in only three seasons.
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They are talking about adding 8-man or 9-man football in WI at the WIAA meeting today. I can already see it -- they will try to do it with 4-man instead of 5-man crews. Since these schools will be a distinct minority in the state (if any), I will simply not take any games that don't use 5 officials on Friday nights. My crew is set.
If we ever get to the point where more schools use 3 in basketball, I will use the same mindset. Pay for 2 or 3? 2? No thanks. We're not there yet, not even close.