Just switched to stripes

[Bobby]

Originally posted by ref18
the game can be played without coaches
the game can be played without officials
the game cannot be played without players,

I don't think the parents usually think about what the refs are wearing.

Although, i was watching some of the european professional on that NBA channel. The refs were wearing RED shirts, like those a soccer official would wear. I couldn't believe it, they looked so awful, and their 3-man mechanics were a bit off, they had 2 centres instead of 1 centre and a trail, but that's another topic.

Actually the Union of European Basketball Leagues has a deal with Sara Lee (Champion) for their uniforms and the officials have two color combinations and the shirt rules are similar to soccer -- the scheme which does not look too similar to one team's jersey will be the one worn. If one team's jersey is blue, then the officials wear red. If one team's jersey is red, the officials wear blue. ULEB is also pondering working with the NBA on more officials training and many believe the ULEB prefers to work with the NBA instead of FIBA, which has shorn the ULEB referees, and the ULEB struck back by adopting the NBA's jump ball rule instead of the NCAA rules used by FIBA. (Hank Nichols is on the FIBA rules panel.)

I wouldn't be surprised to see the NBA help the ULEB in training officials.

I also have been talking with some officials for next year's youth leagues and one proposal is to officially go gray because of the studies between traditional stripes and the NBA/FIBA gray.