Officiating in the ABA, update

[ilyazhito]

Update: I recently got into the ABA thanks to doing a combine for pro basketball officials in Florida, and having the regional coordinator for my area see me in action. This may have happened because the DMV area has added more ABA teams, and needs more officials as a result. The ABA now has regional coordinators for officials in different parts of the country who conduct viewing sessions for officials, hire them, and assign them to.games in their area. I've done an ABA scrimmage, and have seen ABA officials in action in person, and can conclude that most are good high school and/or college officials, with 1 guy I know currently working Division 1 basketball. I'll provide more updates as the season goes along, but it looks like the ABA has done much to clean up its act.

[Raymond]

I declined an invitation to get on the ABA staff. The pay in the contract I read was $130/game for each official to be paid by the teams before the game. The contract also states that the supervisor of officials is not responsible if the officials don't get paid.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I declined an invitation to get on the ABA staff. The pay in the contract I read was $130/game for each official to be paid by the teams before the game. The contract also states that the supervisor of officials is not responsible if the officials don't get paid.

In my area or some area where I live, there is a guy that offers guys to work the ABA at association meetings like it is a travel tournament. I passed up on this mess some time ago and glad I did. I have heard so many bad stories of this league and that is when they first played in some nicer arenas. I would rather work some JUCO on a regular than this league.

Peace

[Stat-Man]

My area has an ABA team that appears to have operated each of the past few years -- which is impressive since many other ABA teams founded in this area don't seem to last long. I briefly browsed the first few minutes of some of the team's games on YouTube ranging from 2016 through Spring of this year. The quality of play seemed on par with what i saw in a summer Pro-Am league before I officiated.

The one thing that surprised me most was each of this team's home games only had two officials. I have no idea if that was by choice of if the pool of interested/available officials here is low, but it was still odd to see because a game of this level with a lot of physicality pretty much needs 3 officials to keep things in control -- especially since a crew of two, no matter how skilled, simply can't see and monitor everything that goes on off-ball.

Also, none of the officials I saw in the home game clips seemed familiar. While I don't know all the officials in the area, I do know a number that work higher levels and none of them appeared to be officiating these games. There has to be a reason for that.

[ilyazhito]

UPDATE: I have since been hired to officiate in the ABA. I worked the game between the Hub City Hogs and the West Chester Wildcats on January 11th. In my area, all the ABA officials I have encountered have been veteran high school or college officials. One of the people who worked the Hub City Hogs home opener is a current official in the Patriot League, and another is a long-time official at MIAA (MD) and Baltimore Catholic League games. I would say that the quality of play is better than a good boys varsity game.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

UPDATE: I have since been hired to officiate in the ABA. I worked the game between the Hub City Hogs and the West Chester Wildcats on January 11th. In my area, all the ABA officials I have encountered have been veteran high school or college officials. One of the people who worked the Hub City Hogs home opener is a current official in the Patriot League, and another is a long-time official at MIAA (MD) and Baltimore Catholic League games. I would say that the quality of play is better than a good boys varsity game.

I hope it works out for you. (no blue font implied here)

[justacoach]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

UPDATE: I have since been hired to officiate in the ABA. I worked the game between the Hub City Hogs and the West Chester Wildcats on January 11th. In my area, all the ABA officials I have encountered have been veteran high school or college officials. One of the people who worked the Hub City Hogs home opener is a current official in the Patriot League, and another is a long-time official at MIAA (MD) and Baltimore Catholic League games. I would say that the quality of play is better than a good boys varsity game.

Maz'l Tov!!!!!

Onward and upward

Please let us know when you will be working again...