Connecticut 2025-26 Game Fees ...
 

Connecticut 2025-26 Game Fees

Scrimmages: $330 per game for 3 or more assigned officials

Subvarsity and Middle School: $77.16

Varsity: $110.22

Annual Dues: $135.00
Includes IAABO local, state, and international dues as well a Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Officials Association, and National Federation of High Schools.

Assignment Fee: 7%

Note: No statewide contract for regular season three person crews, varies by each local board.

Does it mean that 3-person is finally allowed in the regular season in CT?

Discounted Fees ...
 

Yes and no.

We have six local IAABO boards here in Connecticut. Each local board has unilaterally negotiated with schools in their own geographic area regarding three person fees, discounted by some boards, not discounted by other boards, for three person regular season games, as requested by some schools (or conferences), and not requested by others.

Some local boards are adamant that fees for three person games will not be discounted, and their three officials will get the non-discounted $110.22 varsity fee each come hell or high water.

Other local boards are willing to negotiate discounted fees for three person games, to encourage the use of three person crews.

Oddly, the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference has stayed out of this fracas and has allowed this to occur, only contractually dictating $110.22 regular season variety fees, assuming two person games. The CIAC does dictate non-discounted fees for three person games in some early round state tournament games, and all later round state tournament games (quarterfinals and up), with a tiered fee system, higher fees for higher rounds.

Thus, some parts of Connecticut have lots (for Connecticut) of regular season three person games, other parts have very few regular season three person games.

It all mainly depends on two things, the willingness of local boards to discount fees for regular season three person games, and the wealth (urban, rural, suburban) of individual school districts. Third on the priority list is the competitive nature of basketball in various local areas (and conferences).

In many areas we are seeing some three person crews "creep" into post season conference tournaments, especially in the later rounds.

Smoke Filled Back Rooms
 

Annual varsity fees increase based on average annual teacher salary increases in the State of Connecticut.

Been that way since 1984-85.

No more annual contact negotiation meetings in smoke filled back rooms between officials and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference.

Also, to improve recruitment and retention of basketball officials the CIAC increased the subvarsity fee (since 2023-24) to 70% of the varsity fee.

CIAC increased subvarsity fees from 50% to 65% of the varsity fee in 1980-81.

Bilaterally ...
 

No IAABO board, local, or state (Connecticut is 100% IAABO for all interscholastic games), can "insist" that they will always and only provide three officials for all assigned varsity games, both regular season games and post season conference tournament games.

Only individual schools (and sometimes conferences) can request three person official crews for some, or all, regular season games, and the three person crew fee structure is decided bilaterally between the schools (athletic director) and the local assigners.

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference doesn't get involved with three person crew fee structures until the State tournament, definitely starting with State quarterfinals, but sometimes sooner.

Between Economic Recessions ...
 

Oddly, between economic recessions, when we sometimes didn't have enough officials to service games, especially subvarsity games, we experimented with three person crews in junior varsity games (two varsity guys and a subvarsity guy), and the two varsity guys would then "hang around" and do the subsequent varsity game.

Somebody figured that two varsity guys would be less tired for their varsity game by working in a three person crew in the junior varsity game. I forgot how the fee structure worked (maybe the two varsity guys split a single subvarsity fee in the junior varsity game), but the experiment only lasted one season.

The idea was that principals, athletic directors, and coaches didn't mind tired officials in their freshman and junior varsity back to back doubleheaders, but wanted officials as fresh as possible in their varsity games.

A very odd experiment.

MA is similar. $77 JV, $102 for V. The first season that we've been over $100 per game.

Congratulations ...
 

Connecticut Fee Update ...
 

Varsity Shot Clock: $71.55
JV Shot Clock $50.00

Prep School Fees
Varsity $120.00
Sub Varsity $80.00
Each official, whether it be two person, or three person

your dues are nuts. its all tax write-off but still...

Eat, Drink, And Be Merry ...
 

The largest percentage of our dues goes to our annual banquet.

Since COVID we've had outdoor (under a large tent) "picnic" style catered banquets (hot dogs, hamburgs, etc.).

Not well attended.

We recently switched back to a fancy "sit down" banquet facility (country club) to improve attendance.

We tried to get returnable banquet "deposits" to keep costs down (only ordering food for those that seriously wanted to attend), which actually decreased attendance (not sure why, deposit was refunded when you showed up at the door).

Since COVID we've had problems with members attending both our end of the season business meeting (election of officers, etc.) and/or our banquet.

So we decided to combine our end of the season business meeting and our banquet into one "meeting", with a $25 fine (used to be $50) for non-attendance, with the goal of improving attendance.

That increased attendance, but made the banquet more expensive, with more members attending.

Latest idea to save money was to change from an open bar (for over forty plus years) to a cash bar.

That, obviously, did not go over well with many members.

End of season events have become "juggling acts", trying to both increase attendance and keep costs down.

Many, obviously, just want to officiate games and attend as few meetings, even meetings with food, as possible, even if it costs them a $25 fine.

We're running out of ideas.

Our locals cost $15. A few are higher but they buy shirts or other gear for officials with the association logo. Some do dinners, mine has a free pizza and wings at a sports bar. State permit is 60 for the first sport and 30 for each extra.

After the first couple meetings, theres really not much to talk about once everyone understands the new rule changes, mostly anyways. After covid the state offers 2 online rule meetings that count towards the required 4 locals. If you dont make the required meetings, you have to go through the reinstatement process next year which means you have to go through the course and take the test.

Used to be you had to be physically present at the business meeting to vote for post season roster. So guys showed up for that meeting so they could vote for themselves and their buddies. Thats online now for the most part depending on association.

$8000 Annual Banquet Cost ...
 

$30 of our $135 dues (over 20%) goes to the banquet, whether one attends the banquet, or does not attend the banquet.

Number Of Meetings ...
 

This year our Executive Committee is planning only three local meetings (minimum required by IAABO), an in person Interpretation Meeting (new rules), a mid-season Zoom meeting (for "continuing education"), and an in person end of season Business Meeting (elections).

Normally we have four meetings

Our interpreter (trainer) is not pleased.

First meeting agenda (new rules) is dictated by IAABO International and IAABO State.

Third meeting is strictly business, no basketball.

That leaves only one open ended meeting for our interpreter (trainer) for "continuing education" regarding problems that occur during the season.

We've got some guys and gals who don't know if the basketball is stuffed or inflated and are in dire need of "continuing education".

As I said, our interpreter (trainer) is not pleased.

I plan to ask the Executive Committee why we switched from two open ended "continuing education" meetings to only one open ended "continuing education" meeting.

I realize that my question and comment may not be very popular among our members, but I have to support our great hard-working interpreter.

Here, our locals generally hold 6 meetings. You can attend any associations meeting you want if their dates or times work out better for you. My grief has been since new official training is now almost entirely online now with some high schools and colleges starting to offer in person classes again, one school actually got a grant to do so making it free for students, is that there's no on the court training. Except the baptism by fire that they get at their first scrimmage or game. We need to get them at scrimmages with trainers they can shadow and be shadowed by.

Id really love to be able to use my volleyball headsets when working with newbies

Penalties And Fines ...
 

My local board has penalties and fines:

Members must attend an Interpretation (new rules) Meeting (any one of the six local (geographic) board Interpretation Meeting in Connecticut) to be eligible to receive game assignments for the current season.

Members must attend the Annual (business) Meeting (now combined with a banquet). Failure to attend will result in a fine of $25. Absences for unforeseen circumstances will be reviewed by the President.

Members are required to attend “regular” meetings. A $25 fine will be assessed for each meeting not attended beyond one missed meeting (only have one "regular" meeting this year, normally have two). Absences for unforeseen circumstances will be reviewed by the President.

Training ...
 

Same here (rule training online and rules exam online) for rules only through IAABO International.

Once they pass the rules exam, we have a live on court Training Committee that teaches mechanics, signals, procedures, etc., about a half dozen sessions up to and including preseason scrimmages.

Banquet Subsidy ...
 

In essence, those that do not attend the banquet subsidize those that do attend the banquet, through their dues, or their dues and fines.

Thank you very much.

Now if we can just get back our open bar!