How many of you have paid for the membership to this site? Do you find it worth the money? If you haven't, why not?

My curiosity is getting the better of me; most of the articles look interesting, but then I wonder if it's worth it for a rec-league-old-Smitty like myself to pony up the cash.

Patrick O'Brien

I have not paid any money to visit this site, other than my monthly internet fees. This is a free discussion board. Other sites DO charge, but not this one...

GBA

Not this discussion board, but the eumpire membership that allows you access to the articles.

If JJ is on free, I want on free. :D

I think that the yearly fee is worth the money.
The discussions are good, informative and sometimes comical.
There are a lot of quality umpires on this and the softball
forum, with some very good information to share.

JMO,
glen

<i> Originally posted by pob14 </i>

<b> How many of you have paid for the membership to this site? Do you find it worth the money? If you haven't, why not? </b>


The main reason I am not a paid member for the article section is that I'm waiting for EUmpire to combine an insurance / membership package all into one, similar to ok I know it's taboo Referee.

Presently, it's hard to beat Referee's price of $79.00 (sometimes even cheaper) which includes:

1. Price of magazine
2. $3 million liability coverage
3. List of contact personnel if you are moving and want to continue umpiring, plus
4. other quirks.

Between the cost of equipment each year (example; this year in FED we have to by new jackets as the black ones have been fazed out), mileage to and from games, and reference materials, the <i> buck </i> has to stop somehere. I know there are good articles on this site but IMO, they need to offer more in order for membership to increase.

If and when they combine an insurance package along with their article section, I will then consider.

Pete Booth

You can get both.....
 

Membership for one year is $50, and you can get insurance for an additional $20. Go to the "Join Eumpire" section, click on the signup, and you'll read about the insurance.

Between the cost of equipment each year (example; this year in FED we have to by new jackets as the black ones have been fazed out), mileage to and from games, and reference materials, the <i> buck </i> has to stop somehere. I know there are good articles on this site but IMO, they need to offer more in order for membership to increase.

If and when they combine an insurance package along with their article section, I will then consider.

Pete Booth
[/B][/QUOTE]

Pete,
Are you saying you have to pay your mileage to and from
games? Isn't that included in your tally for games fees.
I only now do softball, but in Texas we getting 34.5 cents
per mile round trip. Game fees are a liitle lower than
for baseball. $25 for J.V. and $30 for varsity. Tourna-
ments are different. No milage, $28 a game.
I do believe insurance is available. Have not signed up
for it, but I think they have a program available.

glen

Glen,
Nobody pays milage in Pa, either - at least not in central Pa. I've only ever heard on Texans getting paid milage. Then again, I take it as a business expense so it pretty much evens out.

Steve,

Are your game fees higher than $25.00 for J.V. and $30.00
for varsity? We get paid for scrimmage games. 1/2 of
total miles driven and meal money, which is not much. I
think it went up with the milage fees this year also.

I gotta ask this dumb question. What is member UT? I am
sure answer is an obvious one.

glen

[QUOTE]Originally posted by whiskers_ump

Quote:

I gotta ask this dumb question. What is member UT? I am sure answer is an obvious one. glen

Glen: UT is short for UmpiresTalk, a private email community that includes many well-known Internet posters. If you're interested in becoming a member, email me at [email protected], and I'll send you an application. (That's just red tape to keep out people who aren't serious about baseball.)

<i> Originally posted by whiskers_ump </i>

<i> Pete,
Are you saying you have to pay your mileage to and from
games? Isn't that included in your tally for games fees.
I only now do softball, but in Texas we getting 34.5 cents
per mile round trip. </i>

Glen in NY we do not get a separate mileage check if that's what you are referring to. We get a Game FEE and that's it. The FEES are good, but NY is a big state (ok Papa C not as big as Texas) with many districts. When you are a <i> rookie </i> you <b> pay your dues </b> so to speak by traveling anywhere just to get experience.

I'll look into the insurance issue as I was unaware that EUmpire offerred any.

Side Note: It would be nice if all the <i> experts </i> could participate in the articles. I do not want to get rid of my referee subscription because I enjoy and learn from the articles written by Jon Bible. I think Jon is an excellant writer who seems <i> down to earth </i> and trys to convey <i> book knowledge </i> to what actually <i> goes on out there </i>

Perhaps someone at home can give me a "Christmas Present" for my membership.

Pete Booth

Carl said,

(That's just red tape to keep out people who aren't serious about baseball.)


Rex asks,

Carl you ever see the movie "The skulls"?

Any organization that is closed and secret can't be good. I love Webster's diff. of a "secret society".

And no I'm not a wanna-be. I already know who's serious.


rex

Rex:

That's what I always told my Dad, but he joined the Knights of Columbus anyway. :)

Everybody else:

Thanks, the replies (here and private) have been very helpful.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Carl Childress

Quote:

Originally posted by whiskers_ump Quote: I gotta ask this dumb question. What is member UT? I am sure answer is an obvious one. glen Glen: UT is short for UmpiresTalk, a private email community that includes many well-known Internet posters. If you're interested in becoming a member, email me at [email protected], and I'll send you an application. (That's just red tape to keep out people who aren't serious about baseball.)

Carl,

Thanks for information. I do not know why the other
gentlemen are jumping on your reply. I simply ask a
question and you responded.
I don't do baseball anymore - just fastpitch softball.
However, I do thank you for the information.

glen

"Pete" - - - check your e-mail.....
 

and, what NYS district are you in???

Check out this web page:

http://www.mcpsaa.org/VOUC2001.pdf

(it is in Adobe .pdf format)

[Edited by Rog on Nov 6th, 2001 at 06:09 PM]

[Deleted by moderator]

[Edited by Brad on Nov 9th, 2001 at 12:21 AM]

I don't think that UT membership is secret. Many of the members brand their posts.

It isn't closed either. New members are invited/sponsered by current members on occasion.

The discussions there are are on a more in depth level regarding baseball, and the members develope personal e-relationships with each other.

Just as you wouldn't invite every member from these open forums into your house, not every member is invited into the private UT board.

Thats not to say its better than an open forum, just different, with less misinformation posted and more in depth questions and discussions, and no personal attacts as the members respect each other, even if there are occasional disagreements.

Roger Greene,
Member UT

[Deleted by moderator]

[Edited by Brad on Nov 9th, 2001 at 12:21 AM]

Good man Rog,

You answered the call to arms.But your a rook to UT notice the senior "Strom Troopers" lagged back. Now, ask yourself Why?

rex

Rex: Misinformed and inappropriate.
 

1. We at UT post freely on the internet, even to one another. As has been demonstrated numerous times, anyone who thinks that what they post on the internet is a secret, is a fool.

2. The UT "selection" committee, of which I am chair, is acutually comprised of three members at the moment. Our application does not request any personal information regarding race, religion, ethnic origin or gender. Nor do we ask any opinion on any baseball issue in advance. When a new member joins UT no one, except perhaps the sponsoring member, has any inkling as to the "politics" of that new member.

[Edited by Brad on Nov 9th, 2001 at 12:24 AM]

[Deleted by moderator]

[Edited by Brad on Nov 9th, 2001 at 12:21 AM]

Please read the forum rules if you have forgotten them: No personal attacks...

Let's try to keep it somewhat related to officiating...

Thanks,
Brad