2 or 3

[zebraman]

Washington is going to use 3-person at all state tournaments this year for the first time.

District tournaments may or may not use 3-person (depends on each district). The use of 3-person officiating in the regular season is negotiated between each local association and their leagues. It's a real mess. Some regions are doing 3-person exclusively. Some regions are only doing 2-person. Others are doing a mix. It's going to be a huge disadvantage at the state tournaments for high school officials who have done very few if any 3-person games during the season. They will have no chance at competing with the officials who have been practicing 3-person all year.

2-person in this state pays $48.00 per official plus travel.
3-person is in an "experimental 3-year trial" and pays only $33.00 per official plus travel.

Simple math shows that a school only has to pay $3.00 more to get the additional third ref (travel is a set fee regardless of whether it is split between 2 or 3 officials), yet many schools are resisting (many officials aren't happy about it either but they are accepting it despite much grumbling). Many schools are resisting because they fear that it may "become accepted" which would mean certain approval of 3-person in our state for all games after the 3-year trial period at which time the 3-person fee would go up to about $42.00 per official.

Z