4 or 5 Man Crews

[Ed Hickland]

Originally posted by cw3Retired
Random thoughts here.

What does the standard of living have to do with officiating fees? Just curious. It seems to me that it is the same game, played by the same types of people. We can all order the same equipment from the same suppliers. And we all work primary jobs to meet the needs of our families. Why should the standard of living be a concern for what fees we get to officiate a football game?

With that said, at $94.00 a game for a 4-man crew, the school pays $386.00 for the crew. You could go to a 5-man crew at $77.00 a game, still make a good nights pay, and provide a much better officiated game (in my opinion) for the students.

Please understand, I am not mad at anybody. The concepts presented in the last couple of posts are foreign to me here in Georgia, and this is the only place that I have worked H.S. football. I wish I could get $94.00 a game. But, I wouldn't want to do 4-man mechanics for a varsity football game to do it.

I have to agree with you but that is easy for me to say.

Pay should be the last concern any official has other than to provide enough to make it worthwhile to take time to officiate. Given that the fee must be appropriate to attract and retain good officials.

I love the game of football and my profession is lucrative enough and time plentiful that the fee really is not a concern. However, the New York metropolitan area is the most expensive area in the country to live and for many an adequate fee is necessary to get on the field.

In traveling this country the price of houses in many areas is crossing over the $100,000 barrier while here that same house is crossing the $300,000 barrier. Tax on the average home for a month equals a years taxes in many other parts of the country.

Attracting good officials requires a equitable fee. Even with that fee we often run short of officials on certain days.

My hope is one day to have the opportunity to leave New York and work varsity football in another part of the country for less money.

[parepat]

Ohio

Five man

Fee is 45 to 50 dollars. No Mileage. We're getting screwed up here.

I'm moving to Texas

[STEVED21]

Emmitt,

I agree with you that the driving force for most of us isn't money. However, the scholls do pay us and make us negotiate contract. That was the basis for comparing the cost of living. (I know I originally said " standard of living"). There are costs associated with officiating and if we are going to get paid we should get paid what we are worth. Schools fight us tooth and nail here for every dollar, but have no problem paying teachers over $ 100 a game (pensionable) to operate the clock, usually incorrectly.

I disagree with your idea of putting more men on the field for the same net money. Once you start giving away services no matter what the reason you can never get it back.

I am not a labor guy. I am just realistic about what we do.

[Bawanna]

Here in Nebraska:

$50 - $60 per five man crew. Same four man crews. Playoffs $55.

[cw3Retired]

Guys,

Thanks for your insights. I guess I shall count my blessings that Georgia thinks enough of football that the state association sets the fees, and they set them quite well, relatively speaking, as our cost of living here is pretty low ($.97 a gallon for gas, currently).

I have a bye week this week, so wife and I are going to progressive supper at church. Have good games all. And I can only hope the good Lord let's me get a playoff game next week, even if it on the chains.

God Bless All.

[Bawanna]

More money on game night just means a bigger steak dinner on the way home. Speaking of this, our crew does something for the wifes at the end of the season for letting us come out and play every friday night for 10 or so weeks. We all kick in $5 a week and take the wifes out to dinner at the end of the season.

[JGF]

In Arizona we use 5 man crews for varsity games and 4 man crews for sub-varsity games. Varsity game fees are $50 plus $3.00 milage. Sub-varsity fee is $30.00. Varsity play-off game fee is $50 x $1.25.

[bobmae]

6 man crews for varsity, some outlying areas are 5 man:

AAAA = $70
A - AAA = $50 - $55

playoffs: 1st round = $55, 2nd round = $55, semi-final = $60

[Aloha White Hat]

In the public school system on Oahu Hawaii, the JV games are 4 man crews with pay of $45. per game. Varsity is 5 man with $50 per game and in the playoffs including the state championship game this friday, we use 7 men at $50. per game.

[camaulds]

Michigan

Varies in various parts of the State but here in Mid Michigan we get the following rates.

Varsity...All 5 Man...$45-$60 depending on the league.

JV & Frosh...Almost always 4 man ( there are a few 3 man hold outs)...$35

5th-8th grade...Played on Saturday and Sunday afternoons...$75 for a doubleheader.

For Varsity Playoffs the fee was $45 plus mileage...All crew members get mileage...This can be a raw deal if you volunteer to drive and the rest of the crew doesn't help out with gas. The later in the playoffs you go the further you usually have to travel. I did a semifinal this year and volunteered to drive my full size customized van for the crew to our game...250 miles round trip...Only one of the other crew members gave me anything for gas ($5)...We made approximatly $40 each for mileage...If I ever work with those guys again I'll have an understanding up front or I'll ride in the back of their van...LOL.