Worst luck ever

[representing]

Three games in a row on my schedule got cancelled/postponed.

Friday, Boys JV for $52. Cancelled. Home team lost some players due to injury, education suspension, etc.

Monday, Girls JV for $52. Cancelled. Visiting team lost some players due to injury, education suspension, etc.

Today, Girls Freshmen/JV Doubleheader for $92. Postponed. DAMN EXPECTED SNOWSTORM BETTER SHOW UP!

This is about $200 I missed out on in 5 days. I really do have the worst luck ever. And the worst part is the two JV games won't be made up because the Varsity games played on, and the FR/JV doubleheader was postponed to a day I'm already officiating.

Anyone else feel like we should still be compensated at least half of the referee fee for games cancelled due to reasons other than weather or other major problems like electricity went out, flooding in school because of a plumbing problem, etc.? This really pisses me off that I missed out on $200 in 5 days.

[Dave9819]

So, if you cancel your doctor's appointment a day or so ahead of time because you feel better, should you be forced to pay the doctor half an appointment fee?

[representing]

Originally Posted by Dave9819

So, if you cancel your doctor's appointment a day or so ahead of time because you feel better, should you be forced to pay the doctor half an appointment fee?

Doctor can get another patient in during that time. Don't you ever get a phone call from your doctor or hair-stylist that goes something like this: "Hey, we just had a cancellation, and we would like to move you up to this day at this time"?

You can't fill in a time a game is cancelled. And besides, doctors get paid a ****load of money, they can afford to lose a few cancellations here and there. I can't afford three cancellations in 5 days!

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by representing

Doctors get paid a ****load of money.

Hey! My daughter's in medical school. Four years, at $50,000.00 per year, all paid for with student loans. By the time she ready to practice after her residency, (80 hour workweeks) she deserves a ****load of money.

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by representing

Anyone else feel like we should still be compensated at least half of the referee fee for games cancelled due to reasons other than weather or other major problems like electricity went out, flooding in school because of a plumbing problem, etc.? This really pisses me off that I missed out on $200 in 5 days.

Personally, I do think that you should get compensated SOMETHING for the lost revenue opportunity. As an independent contractor, you COULD have found a revenue opportunity SOMEWHERE ELSE with reasonable lead time. ESPECIALLY since the game was canceled for non-weather-related reasons very late in the going.

At the same time, a contract is created between you, the independent contractor, and the school. In some cases, there very well may be language that includes getting paid/partially paid under certain circumstances. We typically get paid for a soccer game (even if the game gets canceled before kickoff, if we showed up for the game) in some leagues. BUT, it is dependent upon the agreement that the league/school has in these cases.

Originally Posted by RichMSN

You know, there's a contract somewhere that spells out when you get paid or don't get paid. Either you hold that contract (like I do here in WI) or your assignor does.

The only times I ever get paid for a game not worked is during baseball season when the home team fails to cancel and we drive to the field and it's unplayable (or a storm hits before the game starts).

Exactly.

Originally Posted by Scuba_ref

Maybe if you didn't do it for the money you wouldn't get so upset...I'm just saying

Scuba_ref,
ONE of the reasons VIRTUALLY ALL of us officiate is the money. If you argue with this point, my question is, "Do you always RETURN your game fee after the game is over?" If the answer is, "No." Then ONE of the reasons you officiate is to put some money in your pocket.

Originally Posted by Dave9819

So, if you cancel your doctor's appointment a day or so ahead of time because you feel better, should you be forced to pay the doctor half an appointment fee?

No, we don't, but perhaps, we should. This is ONE reason why healthcare costs are as high as they are -- no-shows and no-pays....

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by CMHCoachNRef

At the same time, a contract is created between you, the independent contractor, and the school.

You assume that officiating is the same in every state and it isn't.

Here, booking agents are assigned by the state association to book games for specific schools. There is no contract, between the booking agent and the school, the school and the official, or the official and the booking agent. The state association sets the guidelines and everyone follows them. Other states work in a similiar fashion.

[representing]

Just found this in the PIAA's By-Laws:

"If a PIAA member school violates or cancels a contract with
an official, the District Committee or the Board of Directors,
within their respective jurisdictions, may require a school so
violating or so canceling to pay to the offended official the fee or
fees for the Contest or Contests which have been provided in the
official contract. Failure of a PIAA member school to live up to
the terms of the contract shall be considered a violation of the
Constitution and By-Laws of PIAA."

So, if I really wanted to be a dick I could file a complaint with the district or PIAA to get paid the $52 from both home teams because the school cancelled a contractual agreement due to non-weather conditions. Now, nothing in the by-laws says weather, but I'm assuming by "cancellations" they mean any games not made up later in the season.

[Adam]

Check with your respective jurisdiction. Further, just because you can doesn't mean you should. It may cost you more than $200 in the long run.

[RobbyinTN]

Originally Posted by representing

Just found this in the PIAA's By-Laws:

So, if I really wanted to be a dick I could file a complaint with the district or PIAA to get paid the $52 from both home teams because the school cancelled a contractual agreement due to non-weather conditions. Now, nothing in the by-laws says weather, but I'm assuming by "cancellations" they mean any games not made up later in the season.

If you think losing these games is crappy wait until you start doing stuff like this and you will probably find that you will lose more games in the future, i.e you won't be assigned.

I hope you aren't this angry when you are calling a game

[Scuba_ref]

Originally Posted by CMHCoachNRef

Scuba_ref,
ONE of the reasons VIRTUALLY ALL of us officiate is the money. If you argue with this point, my question is, "Do you always RETURN your game fee after the game is over?" If the answer is, "No." Then ONE of the reasons you officiate is to put some money in your pocket.

CMH - Dealing in absolutes one way or the other won't win you many arguments. Of course I don't return EVERY game fee. I do however donate a lot of referee time on court whenever the opportunity presents itself; working the Lion's club scholarship game, giving back the game fee for cancer awareness nights, refereeing church basketball every Saturday for two months. The point is that most of us ref because we love it not because we get paid to do it. When getting paid to do it becomes the major justification then maybe it is time to re-evaluate.

This is partially true also for young officials - I understand that there is a motivation continuum with money at one end and enjoyment at the other. Younger officials may tend to fall towards the money end, but if they get no enjoyment out of it then they are most likely providing a disservice to the teams they officiate.

[RobbyinTN]

When I first started officiating I called a lot of games for free or next to nothing in fees. Why? Well first I loved doing it and secondly I figured it was a way to learn in an environment that was alittle less hectic than varsity ball. I think it made me a better official in the end because I was more focused on calling ball than I was on what level game it was or how much I made.

I don't call ball for the dollars. Yes I like being paid; however, I don't think about the fees first and foremost - it is secondary in my desire to officiate. I officiate as a hobby and it is a hobby that also happens to pay me a little but every Saturday for all of January and February I am calling Upward Basketball games (3-5 a Saturday) for free because I love working with the kids and they can get an experienced official for nothing. Also, I am able to train some other guys/gals to officiate and hopefully they will continue on with officiating as well. I also call some kid's (ages 5-12) rec ball that pays a big $20 a game. It gives me another opportunity to work with the kids and help them learn the sport.

The OP sounds like his primary motivation is $$. If he doesn't like having games cancelled, I am sure McDonalds is hiring and he won't have to worry about having an work night cancelled because a team decided not to play

[Rich]

Personally, I don't think it's our place to tell anyone what the right motivation for officiating is.

Around here, JV and other lower level games in rural districts are wholly filled by guys who are most into the fact that they get $40 and are 5 minutes from home. And those guys are needed.

[Loudwhistle]

[QUOTE=Scuba_ref;714914][COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]CMH - Dealing in absolutes one way or the other won't win you many arguments. Of course I don't return EVERY game fee. I do however donate a lot of referee time on court whenever the opportunity presents itself; working the Lion's club scholarship game, giving back the game fee for cancer awareness nights, refereeing church basketball every Saturday for two months. The point is that most of us ref because we love it not because we get paid to do it. When getting paid to do it becomes the major justification then maybe it is time to re-evaluate.

+1

[Adam]

I'm with Rich, we have no business telling others why they should be officiating. I started for the cash in college, and because it was fun. The standard saying is pretty true: "I don't do this for the money, but I wouldn't do it for free, either."

[cmhjordan23]

Try showing up for a game and not getting paid at all. I was scheduled to do a soccer game. My crew showed up and visiting team wasn't there. Confusion about start time. Coach didn't give us our checks. Needless to say we contacted AD and got paid. Had another game, I think it was JV soccer again. Showed up on a Saturday morning, contract in hand. No game to officiate. Visiting team couldn't field a JV 2 team. School never told me. Contacted the AD several times. This was 1 year ago. Have yet to see that check. Oh well, only $40.