Just PAY the darn bill . . .

[etn_ump]

Regular season, HS Fed ball, we are paid prior to the plate meeting or at the plate meeting.

I work 2 associations in the summer and we are paid at the plate meeting or the game doesn't start. Depending on the outcome of the game and who's paying, sometimes it's a pain to wait until after the game.

[archangel]

I guess we are just lucky in my area. HS spring ball lump sum check at end of season, paid thru association, never been a problem. Summer ball is paid at the site or check mailed asap- I've never had a payment issue.....

[PeteBooth]

Tee we get paid at the plate conference EXCEPT for tournaments in which the assignor collects the money UP FRONT and pays us after the tournament

If by chance we get a bad check, we are reimbursed for ALL bank FEES and from then on for that particular team ONLY cash will be accepted.

We often talk about what should be said at the plate conference. In our association number one on the list is MONEY. No money no baseball.

Also, if we show up and one team does not have enough players we get paid a FULL game FEE. If we show up (before first pitch is thrown) and the rains come then we get a travel FEE.

In my area there is plenty of baseball so no one is "crying" that they cannot get enough games. If they do not get many games it is on them meaning their availability. In fact we have a shortage and personally I am averaging 6-8 games just on the weekends.

I do not know about your area, but youth leagues have "sky-rocketed" in my area. Legion now has 3 divisions. 19 and under , 17 and under and this year they started a 15 and under Program.

My summer assignor attends most of the meetings for the clients we service and our payment structure is SPELLED OUT UP FRONT so that there is no confusion / problems as in your OP.

We have a very good assignor who treats us fairly but most important when you schedule you need the right temporment otherwise teams will walk all over you.

The bottom line as you say is that there is no formal payment schedule.

BTW Tee are the umpires that work for this particualr association "dropping like flys" and will your association slowly but surely start picking up these contracts.

Pete Booth

[SanDiegoSteve]

For HS games, we filled out vouchers in the home dugout before the game. Most schools would send our checks without delay. Others you had to cajole into paying you, including several phone calls to various administrators and even trips to the finance office of the school.

For adult league and youth games, pay at the plate before game, or the snack shack after the game. No pay, no umpires to the league until umpires paid. Our assignor didn't put up with teams/leagues not paying the umpires. We always got our money right away. If there was any problem with a league paying the assignor, the association paid the umpire and went after the league for reimbursement.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Tim C

First let me say I am very fortunate. I umpire in an area where the assigining commissioner will not assign umpires to any game unless the entire league has paid, in full, all umpire fees for the current season. That is one of the advantages of working in a well organized and coordinated umpire association.

Sadly we don't umpire ALL the games that are played in the great Portland (OR) area.

So I got THE call last night.

"Hey Tee, this is Jon . . . we are having a huge problem . . . our umpires aren't getting paid."

After 10 minutes of his emotional cry for help I said the following:

"Jon, it is the fault of YOUR group for not having contracts and a payment schedule . . . it is your fault if you assign ONE MORE umpire to this league."

Obviously that is not what Jon wanted to hear . . .

So I ask all of you:

"How do you get paid (primarily during the summer) and be assured that all umpires in your group get their fair pay for games worked?"

Is this just a local problem or are people not paying their bills elsewhere?

Thanks,

Tee

Tee,

Given the forum, I thought this post was going to describe a "bill" for which neither one of us has been paid. Oh, well.

--Rich

[HokieUmp]

Originally Posted by tiger49

Everything else I do is either cash at the plate meeting or is waiting for us in the umpire's room after the game with a meal and some beer.

Umpire room?? Sweet!

My umpire room is the space right behind the trunk of my car.

[Tim C]

"Tee,

Given the forum, I thought this post was going to describe a "bill" for which neither one of us has been paid. Oh, well."

Hehehehe, Rich you are waaay to smart to be an umpire.

Regards,

[RPatrino]

We have known that Rich was way too smart a long time ago!! His IQ is way above the legal limit to umpire, at least here in Northern California.

[tjones1]

In my local summer league we are paid weekly. Our summer leagues have a really good record and there are really no problems. I did have a small issue where I wasn't paid this year but a simple call and it was taken care. For this league, I don't mind being paid weekly since they have a good record and everyone basically knows everyone else. All other times, they pay during the pre-game conference.

In my opinion, if a league hires an assignor it certainly makes sense to make them pay the bill before umpires start getting assigned to work their games.

[piaa_ump]

HS is check at the plate meeting......

Summer ball is a combination of cash or check at the plate meeting...

If a team no shows, we get full fee

If a team calls us off less than 1 hour prior to game time we get travel fee....

If a game is suspended before becoming official, we get travel fee, plus a per inning fee.........(usually $20 for travel $3 an inning)

I had a funny run in with a coach this season, My partner and I showed up at a game where he was the Visiting team coach... He began to complain about the umpire he was getting at his home field (we are officers in the assoc)......he said he did not get first rate umpires anymore......I reminded him that he had stiffed several umpires (us included) on travel fees last year.............

I wont go back where I am not paid.............

We have a contract with the league to supply umpires for the leagues games..............but no where does it state who those umpires will be.......

He paid us the travel fees owed......................