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.

[Scooby]

For the most part water/gatorade at half time, sometimes a hotdog and popcorn or if we are lucky pizza.
A couple of schools provide a box lunch.
Dressing rooms from your car to a nice locker room.

[bisonlj]

I must say most places we work have had very good hospitality. It seems to be getting better each year. We usually have an adequate locker room with showers (sometimes cold water) and towels. We usually have a cooler with water/Gatorade/sodas with enough to drink before the game, during halftime, and after the game.

Some schools take us someplace different at halftime because the locker room is far from the field. They will offer us candy bars or drinks at halftime and often have additional food after the game. It is usually left over concession food but we occasionally get a pizza or Subway sandwiches. Last week we had a meat and cheese tray at halftime! As long as we get a decent locker room, showers, towels, and something to drink, I'm satisfied.

I've also noticed the smaller towns generally have better hospitality than the bigger schools in Indy.

Pay here is decided by the schools during the season and it is fairly consistent ($60-$75). Once the playoffs start, the schools pay us but it is a predetermined amount by the IHSAA. I think the first round is $55 plus mileage (20 cents/mile) and each round goes up a little. Depending on where you get assigned in the playoffs it is actually a pay cut.

[Welpe]

It really depends upon the school here. For anything below JV, we show up dressed or dress in the parking lot anyways.

I had a JV game where they offered us a roomy changing facility with a couch, bathroom and shower. The next week, I had a JV game where they initially offered us a roomy area to change but then came in and told us we had to move and moved us to essentially a closet in the trainer's room.

[Texas Aggie]

We are treated anywhere from fairly well to very well in our games. The exception is 6 man games and games with schools who don't have a home field and have to play whereever they can find. Treatment there ranges from poor to OK.

At most of the subvarsity games, drinks are there for the asking, but we usually have to go to the concession stand to get them. In varsity games, drinks are usually provided and about half the time, so is some kind of food -- ranging from candy bars to fast food or cold cuts. Towels are available at about half the venues, but I always bring my own (old basketball habit).

We are treated tons better in football than in basketball. Hell, if they can find a decent dressing room for us in hoops, I'm happy.

[Welpe]

My company needs to hurry up and get me transferred to Texas.

I will say any football accomodation I've ever received has been light years ahead of baseball accomodations as a whole.

[RMR]

Most of the time in La. we are lucky if we get a Powerade. On occasion though we have been places that had pre-game sandwiches or something.

There are some places - typically at playoff time that will provide gumbo or jambalaya after the game.

Sometimes on the road we get really lucky and wind up with hot water for a shower but that's rare.

[jjrye22]

Our contract states we get a lockable room big enough to accomodate the entire crew, and drinks.
This usualy means a few bottles of water. Most of the time I have to track down someone from the home team and get them to give us some of the bottles from their sideline.

We are forbidden from travelling in our uniforms, and must dress on site.

Almost always there is showers (with hot water). Some places will give us a hamburger or hot dog after the game. One team leaves a bag of cookies or some chocolate in the room.

That's it. Bring your own towels, soap, and to some stadiums toilet paper.

[JFlores]

Baseball games no accomadations, if your at one of the better schools you get water, gatorade, and sometimes a hot dog if your good looking, since i dont lack in that area i get hot dogs .

Basketball you get to dress in the locker rooms used by students. You may get water you may not depends if its an inner city school or not.

Volleyball, dress in car. You get drinks at some schools.

Football anything below JV, come dressed. The few varsity that i have done as a box man, they give you a locker room and drinks at halftime.

Private schools are the best schools at taking care of the officials in my opinion. You usually get paid within a week too.