Has anyone ever used this? Or worked in an association that does?? I have applied to be our softball associations assigner (and have also started pricing straight jackets! ;) ) ,and am using this as a selling tool for myself....Is it reasonable? Work well? Relatively easy to use? I am interested in the web-based version as the local school agency that assigns games uses something similar looking.

Thanks for all the help!

Lou

I have used the arbiter for a basketball assoc, I work in and it is very user friendly, very helpful, and when used correctly, can hold a ton of information.

Arbiter
 

ASA,

My association (also in NY) uses the Aribter as well. From where I sit it's the most convenient and easy way to assign ANY type of sports.

Every official puts in their availability and the roster of available officials for any given time is computer generated. Each official can see the list of all the officials in the Association and when you're assigned your partner for the game, his name, tel no., address, email address, etc. come up, making it that much easier to call your partner before the games.

If I can give you any more information, feel free to email me through this site. I believe my mailbox is on, if it's not, just lemme know and I'll correct that.

I have used both the web based and the Windows based versions for assigning. The web based version, if used properly and all of the great features activated, can triple the amount of work that one assignor can do.

The bad news is that putting all these features together and harnassing their awesome power has a high learning curve.

Peter

Or,
 

Drop over to the basketball board and find a post by Cameron Rust . . . he mail him and talk to him about web based assigning software.

T

Or,
Go to http://www.suaump.org.

Click on lower right hand corner "contact author for demo of web based assigning software"

It is what we use and is excellent.

We use it for both our Baseball and Ice Hockey Associations and it runs quite smoothly.

We just started using it this year for baseball after a through review over the winter. It seemed to be the most flexible, for the assignor and user. Good auto assignor whaich other did NOT have. The abilty to self assign games is also a great feature. Officials are able to choose a predetermined amount of games per day, within their level, as they become available. Saves assignor time on turnbacks and last minute additions.

The key is for each official to keep their availabilty up to date. Saves a lot of time on the phone, but does not eliminate it.

We use it for basketball and it is awesome if the majority of officials have access to the web. If not then it is not as useful.

alternative
 

Our HS FB, BB, volleyball and baseball associations use http://www.assignbyweb.com.

It is a great program, referred to me by the Umpire Coordinator for the SEC.

My assoc uses thearbiter, and Ive found it to be a great tool, and AFAIK our assignor thinks its great as well. Being able to project my schedule and block-off times well in advance and do game reports online has deconflicted *many* a schedule. I think it works well.

But then, I can see that people unsavvy/uncomfortable with the Internet or web-based programs could be intimidated. Our assoc has at least 2 classes (as needed) to teach the basics of the program at the start of the season.

I've been wondering
 

Our association/state is going to it this fall and I've been wondering if it will work well.

I understand in football and basketball it would be pretty easy because there are very few cancellations.

I wonder how it will work in baseball with all of the changes - rainouts on the day of the game - a reschedule two days later etc.,

Also in baseball we seem to have more changes of field location etc., that the local assignor had no trouble fixing, but I wonder how they will handle that at the state level

Thanks
David

Re: I've been wondering
 

This is where thearbiter really shines. Rainouts, location changes, etc. are the bane of the average old fashioned assignor. Thearbiter makes this stuff a snap.

As was pointed out, your umpires must have access to the net. To be a real power user, YOUR LEAGUES and ADS must have access to the net. They can enter their own schedules and be responsible for their accuracy. They get billed when THEY screw up.

As I mentioned, there is a high learning curve. Your association will have to designate a help desk person just to interface with frustrated customers and umpires. Classes must be held to train the umpires/customers in its use. Add two one hour blocks of instruction to your rookie class. Devote a half hour of a meeting at the beginning of EACH season to bringing the veterans up to date. Software changes and new releases guarantee that everyone is always behind the power curve.

BTW, I am the help desk guru for 300+ umpires. At the beginning of the season, it is a 20 hour a week job.

Peter

Re: Re: I've been wondering
 

Sounds positive, we have about 100 guys but I know a lot of them will have to have help on the learning curve.

Thanks
David

Our association uses the Web-based version, which lacks one MAJOR feature that we sorely miss from the Windows-based version--that being the ability to have the individual game notes print on the reports (invoices, pay sheets, etc.). I've asked the Arbiter folks to try and resolve this for two years, but they keep telling me they can't. It might sound like a minor thing, but when we Email invoices to the respective schools and league treasurers, it is a big help to have notes included after every game rained out, canceled, etc.

The Windows-based version automatically had the phrase "rained out" or "canceled" listed under the respective game. This way, when a treasurer got the bill, he'd know exactly why certain games had zero bill-to amounts, or why suspended games (we bill differently for those sometimes) are showing different amounts. The only way around this is to manually enter individual game notes at the top of the invoice, which is very tedious when there are multiple games that have notes.

BTW, more than once this year we have received payment that wasn't what an invoice showed because the payer did not know why a specific game showed a different amount, or why a game rained out showed show-up fee.