Quote:
Originally Posted by dash_riprock
For college games, the umpires are required to check in with the coaches an hour before the game. Sometimes they want us to rub up a dozen baseballs. Then we have a thorough pre-game, suiting up and some stretching to do. By rule, the plate meeting is conducted ten minutes before game time and since it is never a good idea to park right next to the field, there is usually a five-minute walk to the field. That hour is pretty much used up. If you show up 59 minutes before game time, you are late.
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That's an NCAA requirement. MD was talking about an assignor's requirement for, which I assume, games that are not under NCAA. If they were NCAA games, he wouldn't have painted this as an assignor's standard. And, Yes, I do arrive an hour before game time for college (softball) games.
Anything else, I typically show up between 30 to 45 minutes before game start. I've got plenty of time to suit up and stretch while doing a good pre-game with my partner (no need to do these sequentially), walk to the field, check equipment, and conduct my plate conference.