Besides Pay, What Do You Get?

[ODJ]

Northern Illinois ADs have decided we football referees of Chicagoland will not get a pay increase next season. Oh, sorry, we will. 1% (mostly lower levels.)
The IHSA is increasing its playoff game pay $10 this year. A 20-percent increase coupled with an effort to keep such lucky guys closer to home. It is a top-heavy state population-wise.

I've heard other states and associations require such things as towels and security for game officials. Can you provide examples, please?

[OverAndBack]

You get abused. Does that count?

You get to spend lots and lots of time away from your family.

Lots of perks.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by ODJ

Northern Illinois ADs have decided we football referees of Chicagoland will not get a pay increase next season. Oh, sorry, we will. 1% (mostly lower levels.)
The IHSA had said a 10% increase was coming. Well, guess not.

I've heard other states and associations require such things as towels and security for game officials. Can you provide examples, please?

The IHSA did not promise any pay increase of regular season games. The increase that was requested was for post season games. The IHSA has nothing to do with regular season or conference assignments. School districts are responsible for the budgets of schools and what expenditures are paid for. This is not something the IHSA can mandate, because if they did there might be a violation of tax status of the IHSA and other organizations.

The IHSA increased the pay for playoff games and increased the gas mileage compensation this past year. Your beef should be with NISOC and the way they conspire together to fix prices. And there are a few efforts to change that or change their practices. That does not mean it will work. The only way you will get some kind of satisfaction is everyone to not work games under those conditions. But you know that will never happen, because if someone gives up a varsity game, there will be someone that will take it regardless of the pay or situation.

Peace

[daggo66]

In MD we get to use luxury locker rooms complete with hot showers, jacuzzi, a lounge with big screen TV's, video games, and a hot meal served by women in bikinis and high heels....sorry, what was the question again?

[Forksref]

In ND we get to dress on the way to the game, provide our own food and drink (Except for Midway HS which is the best), listen to ignorant fans and some coaches too, go to our car at half-time, request that a car turn out its lights because they are shining onto the field, work on fields where you need a miner's hat to see...but, we get to see small town football and for the most part respectful kids and enjoy the long drive to the game on beautiful fall days. Tomorrow will be 110 miles each way. Best is the friendship and teamwork of the crew and the satisfaction of a job well done.

Perks? We don't need no stinkin' perks!

[Mike L]

We sometimes get a bottle of water or Gatorade at half time.

[Tom Hinrichs]

Schools treat us pretty well in Southeast Nebraska. They really try to do what they can. We are usually greeted by someone from the school, have a nice place to dress, and offered water / gator aide at half time and following the game.

A couple of schools have fed us after the game when they had cook outs, and one school packs a nice sack lunch for the trip home.

Our interactions with the schools, and with the great majority of the coaches have been very positive.

As for pay, there is no standard rate, in Nebraska, schools (and conferences) establish their own pay rates.

[ODJ]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

The IHSA did not promise any pay increase of regular season games. The increase that was requested was for post season games. The IHSA has nothing to do with regular season or conference assignments. School districts are responsible for the budgets of schools and what expenditures are paid for. This is not something the IHSA can mandate, because if they did there might be a violation of tax status of the IHSA and other organizations.

The IHSA increased the pay for playoff games and increased the gas mileage compensation this past year. Your beef should be with NISOC and the way they conspire together to fix prices. And there are a few efforts to change that or change their practices. That does not mean it will work. The only way you will get some kind of satisfaction is everyone to not work games under those conditions. But you know that will never happen, because if someone gives up a varsity game, there will be someone that will take it regardless of the pay or situation.

Peace

Oh, post-season! Well, that's very different. Nevermind.
Still not paid enough in the regular season. Trying to make comparisions.

[MJT]

Paid before the game.
Sports drinks/water at 1/2 time and after the game.
Two large pizza's at 1/2 the games we work.

One school has "student ambassadors" (girls who volunteer) who greet us when we arrive, take our 1/2 time orders (drinks-food), meet us at the gate to escort us to our locker room, and were waiting for us at our locker room with pizza after the game. That was as good as it gets!!

[HLin NC]

We arrive in uniform except for playoff rounds. The towel you use is the towel you bring.

Pre-game is usually in girls locker room or weight room or coaches office.

Amenities run the gamut from nothing to water/soda/sports drink & candy bar and or hot dog at halftime.

One school does have a chicken dinner and jug of ice tea from KFC waiting on us but that is NOT the norm. A school I worked in Winston-Salem would leave us a dozen Krispy Kremes. KK is headquarted in W-S.

We are to be paid before the end of halftime at the latest, except for a few middle schools that mail us a check within a few days. Many of the youth league teams pay cash or cash the checks out for us.

[Anonymous67]

Schools are billed by and pay the association. We receive monthly checks. Current rate is $50 for a varsity game plus mileage. Mileage can vary from a minimum of $12 for local games to over $30 for others. Local mileage is paid to each official. Out of town games pay mileage to the referee who drives the crew.

Each school is required to provide a changing room before the game and at half time, and showers and a towel after the game. Most provide bottled water or gatorade at half time. Some provide a snack at the end of the game.

[OverAndBack]

Originally Posted by MJT

Paid before the game.
Sports drinks/water at 1/2 time and after the game.
Two large pizza's at 1/2 the games we work.

One school has "student ambassadors" (girls who volunteer) who greet us when we arrive, take our 1/2 time orders (drinks-food), meet us at the gate to escort us to our locker room, and were waiting for us at our locker room with pizza after the game. That was as good as it gets!!

Reciprocal privileges, please?

[LeRoy]

Originally Posted by ODJ

Northern Illinois ADs have decided we football referees of Chicagoland will not get a pay increase next season. Oh, sorry, we will. 1% (mostly lower levels.)
The IHSA had said a 10% increase was coming. Well, guess not.

I've heard other states and associations require such things as towels and security for game officials. Can you provide examples, please?

In Wyoming we get paid at the end of the season for the Jr. High games that are in town. Out of town Jr High games we get paid before the game. All High school games but one are paid before we take the field. All high school games we dress either in a coaches room or they have a room for us. Showers are provided with towels most of the time. Most the AD's in wyoming treat us OK.

[MN BB Ref]

Here in Twin Cities metro area we get $79 per varsity game. If we go outstate we negotiate our own rates and that may or may not include mileage. As for perks, we normally get water and/or gatorade at halftime. Some schools, especially the rural ones, treat us to hot dogs or popcorn at halftime as well. As for a changing room, we normally show up dressed for a game in the metro area but have a locker room when we do an outstate game. In a JV game you get paid $58 and you normally get no perks at all.

[JFlores]

Houston ISD is pretty bad, they have the same rep amongst all officials in every sports. You get paid from them anywhere from 2 weeks to never getting paid.
There the worse, I did a baseball game in March and did not get a check in the mail until the end of july. Good thing Im an engineer and make decent money but there are guys in our association who main source of income is officiating.