Appreciate your Assignors

[Kansas Ref]

I realize assignor work is tough, time-consuming, and at times thankless. I admit that I have "declined" games assigned to me due to my own negligence in not updating my arbiter. I recall once that I felt my assignor did penalize me for this by not give me a set of games for a big tournament that I was expecting to work at.

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by Rich

Of course we get paid for this. Why wouldn't we?

Well earned. It's a hard job, in many cases you have to deal with the aftermath of officials' decisions long after those officials leave the court, and in most cases out of ethical considerations it greatly reduces the number of games you can work yourself. So to anyone who squabbles that the assignor gets a cut, just shut up.

On that note, I've seen assignors make their money three different ways:

A) Getting paid directly by the schools or conferences. The official never sees or knows what the transaction is.
B) Taking a flat rate "assignor's fee" from each official at the beginning of the season.
C) Taking a percentage of each game fee an official earns, usually in the 6-10% range.

Any other ways this is done? How is it done in different parts of the country? Just curious...

[Rich]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

Well earned. It's a hard job, in many cases you have to deal with the aftermath of officials' decisions long after those officials leave the court, and in most cases out of ethical considerations it greatly reduces the number of games you can work yourself. So to anyone who squabbles that the assignor gets a cut, just shut up.

On that note, I've seen assignors make their money three different ways:

A) Getting paid directly by the schools or conferences. The official never sees or knows what the transaction is.
B) Taking a flat rate "assignor's fee" from each official at the beginning of the season.
C) Taking a percentage of each game fee an official earns, usually in the 6-10% range.

Any other ways this is done? How is it done in different parts of the country? Just curious...

Around here, the usual way is A.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Rich

It's not an easy job. Of course we get paid for this. Why wouldn't we?

If anybody does it for free, well, then God bless them. Cherry-picking your own schedule? It's still not worth it with no pay. I wouldn't be an assigner for all the tea in China. When our previous assignment commissioner passed away several years ago, there was a line of guys halfway around the block wanting the job. And that was before Arbiter, when assigning was done with paper, pencil, the United States Postal Service, and lots of phone calls, mostly land line phone calls.

[Kansas Ref]

What are the general Qualifications of Basketball Game Assignor?
Is this a standardized system of quals e.g., college degree, certification, minimum years of referee experience, etc..
Anyone know or is it just whomever knows enough athletic directors and such?
Are there any standardized quals for this job?

[frezer11]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

The members of my local IAABO board appreciate our assignment commissioner with a salary of $30,000.00. There are 325 members who pay a set amount each year in dues ($125.00), and a percentage fee (7%) of the money we earn from our game assignments. Our assignment commissioner assigns about 70 high schools (freshman, junior varsity, varsity, girls, boys) and a large number of public middle schools. We also have an assistant commissioner who earns $2,000.00 and assigns high school scrimmages, and Special Olympics Unified Games.

Originally Posted by Kansas Ref

What are the general Qualifications of Basketball Game Assignor?
Is this a standardized system of quals e.g., college degree, certification, minimum years of referee experience, etc..
Anyone know or is it just whomever knows enough athletic directors and such?
Are there any standardized quals for this job?

Man, when I read the amount from Billmac, I was thinking the same thing!! Holy crap, that still blows me away. I realize that I'm from a smaller state than most (or all...) but I was shocked to read that.

[so cal lurker]

Originally Posted by frezer11

Man, when I read the amount from Billmac, I was thinking the same thing!! Holy crap, that still blows me away. I realize that I'm from a smaller state than most (or all...) but I was shocked to read that.

Assuming 70 schools x six teams [B&G V/JV/F] x 20 games = about $3.50/game

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by so cal lurker

Assuming 70 schools x six teams [B&G V/JV/F] x 20 games = about $3.50/game

Teams are unlikely to have 20 home games.

At 10 games, it's $7.00

[frezer11]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Teams are unlikely to have 20 home games.

At 10 games, it's $7.00

And of those, how many times do the officials work the Fresh/JV back-to-back? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to minimize the work done by the assignors, but 30 grand is a significant chunk of cheddar!

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by frezer11

... 30 grand is a significant chunk of cheddar!

And he doesn't even have to pay for Arbiter ($2,300). We pay for it through our dues, and fees. And in case anybody misunderstands my post, our assignment commissioner earns every penny that he makes. He's worth $30,000.00. He's a classy guy, he's fair, he sticks up for his officials, and he's out almost every afternoon, and night, evaluating officials, sometimes observing at more than one site on the same day.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by frezer11

And of those, how many times do the officials work the Fresh/JV back-to-back? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to minimize the work done by the assignors, but 30 grand is a significant chunk of cheddar!

I disagree, for that amount of work.

But, it's why some people want to be assigners, and some don't.

[wyo96]

Originally Posted by frezer11

Man, when I read the amount from Billmac, I was thinking the same thing!! Holy crap, that still blows me away. I realize that I'm from a smaller state than most (or all...) but I was shocked to read that.

Freezer, to put in perspective, he is assigning the equivalent of EVERY HS Fresh, JV, and V game in Wyoming, plus some MS. I don't know if I would do it for twice the amount!

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I disagree, for that amount of work.

And most of us don't know the amount of work that goes into it. I can't imagine all the phone calls, texts, and emails they get every single day.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by frezer11

And of those, how many times do the officials work the Fresh/JV back-to-back? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to minimize the work done by the assignors, but 30 grand is a significant chunk of cheddar!

I don't think you appreciate how much time and effort goes into making sure that there are officials at this many sites. Schedule changes, subs for officials, coordinating weather-related postponements, along with all the other stuff.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Rich

I don't think you appreciate how much time and effort goes into making sure that there are officials at this many sites. Schedule changes, subs for officials, coordinating weather-related postponements, along with all the other stuff.

I can certainly vouch for the complexities and difficulties of assigning. I'm of the opinion that Billy's assignor is likely underpaid.

Of course, I can help a busy assignor greatly reduce their efforts in many ways.