What company do you use for game assignments?

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by bainsey

I don't see how that's acceptable in 2013.

For me, I've known nothing but Arbiter.

Believe me, it's more than a little aggravating.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Likely....$100 per 25 officials currently (was a little less back then).

Do not get me started.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Our Arbiter fee is $1,900.00 per year.

Originally Posted by Brad

How many officials and games? Just curious.

About 325 working officials. About 70 high schools (boys, girls, varsity, junior varsity, freshman), plus a few dozen middle schools. 4027 games, mostly all two person games, so about 8054 assignments.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

We've been using Arbiter to assign games for eight years ...

What's also nice about Arbiter is that some of our "mini" assignment commissioners also use Arbiter, and they can "see" our high school games and, thus, prevent assignment conflicts. The assigner for my Catholic middle school games actually lives in Florida. He sits on a warm, sunny, sandy, beach, with his adult beverage, with an umbrella in it, and uses his tablet computer to assign his Connecticut Catholic middle school games, without having to worry about conflicts with our high school games, because he can "see" our high school games. What a life.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

What's also nice about Arbiter is that some of our "mini" assignment commissioners also use Arbiter, and they can "see" our high school games and, thus, prevent assignment conflicts. The assigner for my Catholic middle school games actually lives in Florida.

I could save you about $600 and do the same things.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

I could save you about $600 and do the same things.

I have absolutely no idea what my Catholic middle school "mini" assignment commissioner pays for Arbiter. He's not a publicly traded company so we don't get to look at his books, both sets of them. But he does have beautiful home in Florida.

Can Reftown, or any other assignment software, "link" with Arbiter, or for that matter, any different assignment software?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Our Arbiter fee is $1,900.00 per year.

Actually I was looking at the wrong figures. The $1,900.00 is the estimated cost in our association's 2013-14 budget. We paid $1,800.00 for the 2012-13 season.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

I could save you about $600 and do the same things.

Will Reftown allow officials to rate non-partners that they may have observed, i.e., varsity officials rating junior varsity officials? Arbiter only allows officials to rate assigned partners. We have to use our own software, invented by one of our members, to rate non-partners that officials may have observed. The "non-partner" software is pretty good, but deosn't 'link" with Arbiter. It would be nice if Arbiter would allow us to rate non-partners.

[BayStateRef]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Actually I was looking at the wrong figures. The $1,900.00 is the estimated cost in our association's 2013-14 budget. We paid $1,800.00 for the 2012-13 season.

$5 or $6 per official is the typical Arbiter cost.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Will Reftown allow officials to rate non-partners that they may have observed, i.e., varsity officials rating junior varsity officials? Arbiter only allows officials to rate assigned partners. We have to use our own software, invented by one of our members, to rate non-partners that officials may have observed. The "non-partner" software is pretty good, but deosn't 'link" with Arbiter. It would be nice if Arbiter would allow us to rate non-partners.

While I would love to see Camron get more business, I know Arbiter allows officials to rate non-partners. Our assigner has set it up so they can go in and self-assign as evaluators prior to the game.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Adam

I know Arbiter allows officials to rate non-partners. Our assigner has set it up so they can go in and self-assign as evaluators prior to the game.

Sounds too complicated. First we would have to know that there was a game for us to observe. It's common for junior varsity games to be played before our varsity games but it not etched in stone. It takes several clicks to find these games, something that our computer illiterate officials may be incapable of doing. Also, anything optional won't cut it with some of our more"irresponsible" officials. The Arbiter partner-partner rating is not an option, it must be done at the expense of losing games next year. I will discuss this option with my assigner at our banquet this week.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Sounds too complicated. First we would have to know that their was a game for us to observe. It's common for junior varsity games to be played before our varsity games but it not etched in stone. It takes several clicks to find these games, something that our computer illiterate officials may be incapable of doing. Also, anything optional won't cut it with some of our more"irresponsible" officials. The Arbiter partner-partner rating is not an option, it must be done at the expense of losing games next year. I will discuss this option with my assigner at our banquet this week.

Here, it's simple. JV official gets his schedule. JV official goes into the master schedule to see who is working the varsity games after his JV games. JV official emails request to appropriate varsity officials. Varsity official emails back that he's honored and goes into arbiter to self-assign.

Note: "he" = "he or she"

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

Believe me, it's more than a little aggravating.

Out of curiosity, what's the rationale?

[KMBReferee]

We use Arbiter in North Carolina. Mandatory for every HS sports assigner now, and the state association is linked to the games in order to make sure no uncertified officials are calling HS games, as well as oversee suspensions and such.

And now that a few of my recreation assigners (I use 3) are using Arbiter, I don't use anyone that doesn't have it.

[Multiple Sports]

Terrapin Nation (state of Maryland) had linked up with the arbiter. Now every association must use the arbiter.

Having used the arbiter to assign for the last 8 years, I must say that it is pretty efficient.

However if you are are working multiple levels, I would usse different e-mail accounts.....