New Referee Basketball

[bucky]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

I've been officiating football for 11 years, basketball for 9 years, and baseball for 8 years.

Just looked at my income/expenses spreadsheet, and in that time I've got a net income of approximately $28000, which basically amounts to $2500/year AFTER expenses, mileage, income taxes (yes, I report my income to the IRS) and all that.

Could I have done something more valuable with my time? Perhaps. But how many other people have a avocation or hobby that actually gives them a positive cash flow?

I would suggest digging deeper into the ledger. Most, around me anyway, do not report officiating income for tax purposes. Indeed positive cash flow but...at what actual expense. There is a looooong list of hidden costs but, to name a few:

Physical toll - knees, hips, etc.
Mental stress from countless sources from the minor (keeping an availability
calendar up to date) to the major (ejecting several players for a fight)
Actual money made per hour (remember to include packing a bag, laundry,
driving to/from game, meeting attendance, shopping for gear, camps,
emailing a partner, and all the other tiny bits of time involved)
Impact on life - work, sig oth, spouse, kids, etc..

Again, not trying to be a Debbie Downer but one has to consider everything and very few actually do that before jumping into it.

[UNIgiantslayers]

Originally Posted by bucky

I would suggest digging deeper into the ledger. Most, around me anyway, do not report officiating income for tax purposes. Indeed positive cash flow but...at what actual expense. There is a looooong list of hidden costs but, to name a few:

Physical toll - knees, hips, etc.
Mental stress from countless sources from the minor (keeping an availability
calendar up to date) to the major (ejecting several players for a fight)
Actual money made per hour (remember to include packing a bag, laundry,
driving to/from game, meeting attendance, shopping for gear, camps,
emailing a partner, and all the other tiny bits of time involved)
Impact on life - work, sig oth, spouse, kids, etc..

Again, not trying to be a Debbie Downer but one has to consider everything and very few actually do that before jumping into it.

First of all... the physical toll?? From officiating??? Come on. You need to check your diet and exercise regimen if officiating takes a physical toll on you.

Second, do you count the hours that you spend doing laundry for your primary job, travel to that job, shopping for new clothes for that job, money spent on degree for that job, etc. when you figure your own salary? I really hope you're kidding here today because you got me hook, line, and sinker.

To the new guy- try it out for a couple of years. You may love it. You may hate it. But don't let some jamoke on a message board be the reason you make your decision. If you have thick skin, I imagine you'll enjoy it.

[BryanV21]

If anyone is thinking of officiating for the money then they need to find another part time job. I officiate because I love the game, and I enjoy officiating. It's a hobby I get paid for. Are there downsides? Yeah, but that's true of anything.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BryanV21

If anyone is thinking of officiating for the money then they need to find another part time job. I officiate because I love the game, and I enjoy officiating. It's a hobby I get paid for. Are there downsides? Yeah, but that's true of anything.

You make much more officiating than you make working at McDonald's for example. I paid for my first car mostly with money from officiating. I tell guys in college that they can do better working games than they can most other jobs with their time they spend on other things.

Peace

[BryanV21]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You make much more officiating than you make working at McDonald's for example. I paid for my first car mostly with money from officiating. I tell guys in college that they can do better working games than they can most other jobs with their time they spend on other things.

Peace

You're right, most part-time jobs are not going to pay you around $70 for what amounts to maybe 3.5 hours of work (travel time, early arrival, and game time). Of course, that doesn't take into account the time we spend attending meetings, reading, paying dues, along with the money and time used to purchase uniform stuff.

To your point, my best friend's father put him through college using the money he made officiating. Of course, his father officiated four sports, and worked almost every night, to do so. But yes, there is money to be made doing what we do.

But I believe my point is still valid, as it is certainly possible to find a part-time job that is comparable in pay when you take into account all those extras I pointed out in the first paragraph. And that doesn't include the stress and crap we put up with compared to the guy working the drive thru at McDonald's, either (that's not to say they don't have any crap to deal with, but I believe on average we put up with more).

To you and me, the money we make is worth what we put into it. But I'm not going to tell somebody that simply wants to make a little extra money that officiating is a great way to do that. I'd rather be 100% honest about what it takes to truly succeed at what we do, and let that person decide if it's worth a try.

I'm sorry if what I'm saying dissuades anybody from officiating, as many places need more officials (especially good ones that are dedicated).

[bucky]

Originally Posted by BryanV21

You're right, most part-time jobs are not going to pay you around $70 for what amounts to maybe 3.5 hours of work (travel time, early arrival, and game time). Of course, that doesn't take into account the time we spend attending meetings, reading, paying dues, along with the money and time used to purchase uniform stuff.

To your point, my best friend's father put him through college using the money he made officiating. Of course, his father officiated four sports, and worked almost every night, to do so. But yes, there is money to be made doing what we do.

But I believe my point is still valid, as it is certainly possible to find a part-time job that is comparable in pay when you take into account all those extras I pointed out in the first paragraph. And that doesn't include the stress and crap we put up with compared to the guy working the drive thru at McDonald's, either (that's not to say they don't have any crap to deal with, but I believe on average we put up with more).

To you and me, the money we make is worth what we put into it. But I'm not going to tell somebody that simply wants to make a little extra money that officiating is a great way to do that. I'd rather be 100% honest about what it takes to truly succeed at what we do, and let that person decide if it's worth a try.

I'm sorry if what I'm saying dissuades anybody from officiating, as many places need more officials (especially good ones that are dedicated).

Bryan did a better job of saying essentially what I meant. A new official doesn't start making $70/game. I also do not believe one, initially, could make more money working at McDonald's, let alone "much more". Clearly McDonald's would provide more hours and thus more money. McDonald's, or similar job, provides room for advancement, resume building, S.S., education reimbursement, food(lol), and other perks that are more worthwhile than officiating. Not say officiating completely does not provide some of those things just not a par with a job. This is the way I might look at it: A teenager asks, "What should I do for income? Get a job, like McDonald's, or officiate basketball?" I know what my answer would be.

This is all presuming that the OP was young. If older and simply needs a "hobby" then my answer might be different.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by bucky

Bryan did a better job of saying essentially what I meant. A new official doesn't start making $70/game. I also do not believe one, initially, could make more money working at McDonald's, let alone "much more". Clearly McDonald's would provide more hours and thus more money. McDonald's, or similar job, provides room for advancement, resume building, S.S., education reimbursement, food(lol), and other perks that are more worthwhile than officiating. Not say officiating completely does not provide some of those things just not a par with a job. This is the way I might look at it: A teenager asks, "What should I do for income? Get a job, like McDonald's, or officiate basketball?" I know what my answer would be.

This is all presuming that the OP was young. If older and simply needs a "hobby" then my answer might be different.

I might make $70, but then I spend $25 of it on dinner afterwards. I don't know of many officials who run right home after every game and don't spend any of the money they make.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by bucky

Bryan did a better job of saying essentially what I meant. A new official doesn't start making $70/game. I also do not believe one, initially, could make more money working at McDonald's, let alone "much more". Clearly McDonald's would provide more hours and thus more money. McDonald's, or similar job, provides room for advancement, resume building, S.S., education reimbursement, food(lol), and other perks that are more worthwhile than officiating. Not say officiating completely does not provide some of those things just not a par with a job. This is the way I might look at it: A teenager asks, "What should I do for income? Get a job, like McDonald's, or officiate basketball?" I know what my answer would be.

This is all presuming that the OP was young. If older and simply needs a "hobby" then my answer might be different.

I used to be a Dominos Pizza delivery guy in college. I would make in tips for a full night from 4-close (2 in the morning), about 25 dollars in tips on a weeknight. I might make around 50 dollars working on a weekend where I would close later. I would not make as much money after taxes as I do working a single middle school game and it is guaranteed, not based on how many tips I might get. And you can write off your expenses like food or gas and you might not have spent a couple of hours based on where the game is located.

So I can work a couple of hours and make well over $50 or work all night and maybe make that. And McDonald's and many other jobs are not going to allow you to work a 40 hour week. Where they take out taxes and other fees because they are required to do that by law and you cannot write off any expenses the same way you can while being self-employed.

I would never say this was the best way to make money overall, but when your time is money and you have hours in the day to do other things (like another job), it is pretty lucrative as a second job. I know people that use the money to go on family trips or to pay kids through college.

Just think about it, if during a 3 month period I make an average of $50 a day for 90 days (including multiple game days), I have made $4500. And that is only at the heart of the basketball season. I can work many more games during the off-season and more games in a day between.

And if you file taxes right, you pay almost nothing because you can claim reasonable expenses for those fees you get.

Peace

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BryanV21

If anyone is thinking of officiating for the money then they need to find another part time job. I officiate because I love the game, and I enjoy officiating. It's a hobby I get paid for. Are there downsides? Yeah, but that's true of anything.

I started officiated b/c I needed a part-time job to supplement my income 16 years ago. Every year by March I have all my credit card and Christmas bills paid done to zero.

[BryanV21]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I started officiated b/c I needed a part-time job to supplement my income 16 years ago. Every year by March I have all my credit card and Christmas bills paid done to zero.

Unfortunately, not everybody is willing to put in the time, energy, and money into a part time job like you have. We see many new officials around here give it up after just one year.

Hell, it's true of most jobs. No one job is right for everybody.

I'm sorry if I've offended anyone here. If anything, I feel that I'm giving props to people such as yourself that have dedicated so much of their time, energy, and money into officiating. Because there are plenty of people that would rather find something easy and less stressful to make extra money. And I'm not bashing them, either.

I stand by my statement that you shouldn't officiate simply for the money.

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by UNIgiantslayers

To the new guy- try it out for a couple of years. You may love it. You may hate it. But don't let some jamoke on a message board be the reason you make your decision. If you have thick skin, I imagine you'll enjoy it.

This.

Some attrition is inevitable. But we need (x) new officials every year in order to get the (x-y) returning officials we need to sustain the profession. Be an x-man and then let the chips fall where they may.



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[LRZ]

With that perspective, Bucky, I'm surprised you referee.

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by LRZ

With that perspective, Bucky, I'm surprised you referee.

He’s never posted anything that makes me think he is an official.

I don’t referee for the kids. And many times when I hear that phrase I can tell the person using it is being disingenuous (not you, Billy). I referee because I love to referee.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SC Official

(not you, Billy).

I'm pleased that my message was understood without resorting to the "sarcastic blue text". As much as I enjoy officiating, and doing a good job for the coaches, players, fans, and my partners, I would never do it for free (except for Special Olympics Unified Sports, and that I really do officiate for the kids).

[bucky]

Originally Posted by LRZ

With that perspective, Bucky, I'm surprised you referee.

Slowly doing less. Tough to work certain levels/genders without falling asleep. Also, it has become so cliche. People say/do the dumbest things. It has become extremely predictable.