Here in Texas we just moved from $45.00 to $60.00 for varsity and to $50.00 for JV. We do get a small (very small) mileage fee also. From what I see were about even for most of the country and a little behind from the E. Coast. Thanks to all who have posted and I'm looking forward to hearing from the rest of the country.
Gary
San Antonio, TX

Louisiana is a sliding scale from $50 - $65 with travel fee for Var. depending upon your experience and test score. There are some other requirements however, that is about the crux of it.

In SC it varies by the district you officiate. I love posting this because you guys have a field day with it - last season paid $68 for working the dish, and $63 for working the bases. Varsity, JV, and middle school ball all paid the same, and always a two-man crew. Rates go up for playoff games.

Do you get mileage too or is that included in the game fee? For playoffs, do you get a prorated amount based on the gate?

Mileage is included in the fee. It is paid directly to the officials - most schools used to pay at the game, but now all but one or two in our district mail the checks. There is no gate cut for playoffs.

Don't believe what the UIL tells you. Taking less for working a JV/Freshman game is what the big dogs tell you is good (for them). They'll be soaking up all the Varsity tournament ball they can scrounge now. In my old association, I got tired of getting hosed on mileage also. Such is life sweeping up after the elephants at the circus.

Varsity officials should be paid more. I don't see what the problem is, really.

Those that don't like making $40 - $45 (our FR/JV fee here) and would rather make $60 to $65 (our varsity fee) should work on getting better and become varsity umpires.

Central Ohio seems to be on par with others. $52 for varsity, $40 for JV or Fr, $35 for middle school. No mileage (though no great issue, there's a lot of schools in a small area) and no assignor fees directly paid by officials. The vast majority of games are 2 man, even middle school. The only school 1 man is generally city league JV (not all but a lot of them) and city league middle school. And in those cases you usually get 1.5 the normal fee.

Mid Hudson Valley NY here, and am a softball ump - but we are all VERY aware of the baseball fees, as we will be getting parity with them in a year or two.

New York has three levels: Varsity, JV, and what they call 'modified' - i.e., middle school. Here are both sports current fees Baseball is 100/75/65, and Softball is 98/74/65 By 2014-2015, both will be 102/77/67 :eek: For this coming spring's games, JV got a $2 bump this year, will another $1 next year, then another $2 for 2014-2015

This is all with no assignors fee - the schedule is made by, and we get paid through a local educational co-op here called BOCES . That office administers all sports in our area, and they are VERY fair about making sure you get paid right. The only pain is that we have to fill a monthly voucher out, and have to wait for them to process it. And - of course - receive a 1099 in January!

personally, I work about 25 JV softball and about 4 or 5 modified softball games a season, so I do pretty well...

IIRC, you aren't beholden to assigners and get your own games. There are plenty of officials who are quite capable of working a varsity schedule but aren't allowed to by the control freaks who are intent on protecting their turf for themselves and their buddies.

Softball doesn't deserve parity with baseball. This isn't like basketball or soccer where the boys and girls play the same game, sexually segregated. Baseball and softball are different sports.

Softball is almost always far easier to officiate, and typically takes a lot less time. Around here, you can put twenty baseball umpires and twenty softball umpires in a line-up and be able to tell, with 80%-90% accuracy, who works which sport based solely on physical appearance.

And why do so many officials so object to receiving a 1099? (That's a rhetorical question.) It's ironic that so many members working in a profession in which integrity is integral to performance are dedicated off the court and field to cheating on their taxes.

They aren't THAT different - both require the same skills set, the same kinds of judgement needed. The only difference are different rules and mechanics. I assist in our new candidates clinic, and the main problem we have with experienced baseball umpires is them having to learn SOFTBALL rules and mechanics - they already have the judgement skills someone totally knew lacks.

Softball is almost always far easier to officiate, and typically takes a lot less time. Around here, you can put twenty baseball umpires and twenty softball umpires in a line-up and be able to tell, with 80%-90% accuracy, who works which sport based solely on physical appearance.

Thats total BS - typical baseball arrogance. Softball is a FASTER game operationally. And our mechanics require a hell of a lot more hustle from the umpire. Our BUs don't have the luxury of standing in the middle of the infield with runners on, so we have to HUSTLE to call infield plays. So yeah, you can tell the difference between baseball only umps and softball only umps.

One more thing, and this is the point we have been trying to make for YEARS - our EXPENSES are exactly the same - Gerry Davis does NOT give a 'softball discount' on our gear. Nor is there a softball discount on gas.

And why do so many officials so object to receiving a 1099? (That's a rhetorical question.) It's ironic that so many members working in a profession in which integrity is integral to performance are dedicated off the court and field to cheating on their taxes I totally agree with you there....

Softball games are 1/2 as long as baseball games.

Lower level baseball games require the same equipment as major league umpires.

The diamond on a softball field is way smaller than a baseball field.

There are lots of differences, mainly the time portion. I guess I don't see how softball should have the same fee as baseball.

More than half of our schedules are tournament games. At least mine are. We work a heavy load of tournament ball when all the "other more qualified" are off working some college ball. They like to come back, and work district games, and then do the playoffs. I'm sure they will stay closer to home now.

When the people that negotiate these game fees start working for all umpires, then I'll jump on board the gravy train with them.

Last time I checked, my dues are the same as theirs, and it's not any cheaper to officiate either.

It won't be long before there are a plethora of Fresh/JV games to be worked because I damn sure ain't going to be working on the cheap, and others won't either before long. Life in the fast lane can be expensive.

You could take the best high school softball-only umpires in this area (And a lot of other areas I suspect) and put them on the biggest high school baseball game of the spring, and they would be in over their heads.