rate of pay
 

I filled in for a crew a couple weeks ago as HL for a varsity game. Round trip mileage as over 200 miles. I got my game check today for $60. I had 50 in gas. They want me to do another one about the same distance from home. I called the AD to inquire as to what I can expect for compensation if I accepted the game, He did not respond. Could you guys give me some idea what you typically get for games and mileage? Typically, here in central and northern Mich AD's pay around $300 for a 5 man crew and $20-$30 for gas. Thanks for your input

In ND: $74 game fee for each official, 56 cents/mile for the driver, 6 cents per mile for each rider (not the driver) if the round trip is more than 100 miles.

So, your trip would be $86 for each of the 4 riders; $74 for the driver plus $112 mileage.

It's common practice for the driver to provide food for the crew since he gets mileage which usually covers the gas. The riders fee gives each crew member something for a snack along the way. Most of our trips don't exceed 100 miles round trip.

The fees are set by the state association and are the maximum a school can pay. All of our ND schools pay the maximum. We do some games in Minnesota and the schools there have the freedom to pay what they want but the schools near us in Minnesota pay the ND rate.

Varsity pay for NC is $76.00 flat. We just got a $6.00 increase this season.

We have regional supervisors that assign us. No crew/school negotiations here.
The furthest we travel on Friday is probably 85-90 miles, one way.

The crew is expected to chip in for gas to the driver but most do not accept it in my present group.

If I were in your shoes, unless I was trying to break into a full time varsity position, I would either turn it down or ignore the call if it was on my cell. Expecting to pull a reserve official that distance is ridiculous. Surely there are closer ones to the location they can contact.

Thought I had it bad driving 30 miles for a game.

In Washington (state) we get $38 per official for middle school (3-man), $44 per official for Frosh and JV (4-man), and $54 for Varsity(5-man). There is $2 extra for being the referee.
Mileage is negotiated by the state officials association with the state athletic association. It is based on driving distance and the cost of gas when the season begins.
This season the state average is around $17 per official, (for me locally it is $14). Average "in-town" trips are around 15-20 miles, for long distance trips only 1 official is paid for driving. These trips cost around $50-$75. For the few trips involving ferry trips (There are a few schools on the San Juan islands) ferry tolls are also reimbursed, as well as other costs if the trip is overnight. Mileage is the same for all levels.

Jasper

We get a flat fee. Right now that highest fee is $71. It might be higher for some private school leagues which do not pay the same as many public schools. Do not get me started on why this is.

Peace

Since you are a "business" the IRS allows you to take a 56 cents per mile deduction so you write off $112 off your game fee and on paper you lost money on this game.

Tom:

To further add to your comment:

Ten years ago I tracked our expenses for all of our cars for one calendar year. I kept track for oil changes, new tires, insurance, new brakes, gas, etc. The result was that my total expenses per mile was 63% of the IRS allowed mileage deduction. My conclusion was that unless one is putting a new replacing and engine every other month and fuel injectors on the other months, always (with the apologies to the late J. Dallas Shirley) take the IRS mileage deduction.

MTD, Sr.

Former SOCON supervisor Dallas Shirley? I was a team manager at WCU back in those days. (Well some of them anyway)

2010 Hall of Fame - J. Dallas Shirley - SoConSports.com—Official Web Site of The Southern Conference

Here, it's $75 per official game fee (varsity), plus $8 travel per official, regardless of where the game is played. If the $40 (or $56 for 7-man) doesn't cover the actual mileage (we use a rate of $0.50/mile round-trip), our local association makes up the difference.

It's screwy here in WI. We get anywhere from $55 to $70 depending on where we're at....and very few conferences pay mileage. That's 5 man crew here.

Totally agree. 170 mile round trip for me for 60.00. 3 hours windshield time, 3 hour game(3 OTs) home by 12:30am. Compensation plans need to be addressed.

I agree that the amount of pay does not seem proportionate to the amount of time spent in travel and working the game. However, if you know the normal amount of pay for the area, and milage is normally only paid to one official, then why did you bother the AD? This simply comes down to are you willing to work the game for the $60 you are normally paid?

In Southeastern PA it is $72 flat rate for varsity in the league that I work in. Some leagues in my area pay as high as $75 and some as low as $69.

I like money as much as the next person. However, I did not choose this avocation to increase my net worth. I had Friday off but one of my assigners needed someone to work with a crew headquartered a ways away. I drove an hour each way for $60.

So be it.

Why didn't you ride with the crew?

Here (CO), one driver gets mileage. Anyone who wants or needs to drive separately eats the mileage.

In NW PA where I work it's $67 for 5 man. If we work a game with 6 it's $56 a game. No mileage. Plus we are at ALL varsity games at least 90 mins before game time.
Playoffs go up to $72 for 7 man.

Im in a private school association for Louisiana and Mississippi. We run a 5 man crew for varsity, all officials make $90. if we take a clock operator they make $50. the association does not pay travel for regular season games, but we work about 5 or 6 preseason jamborees and all money is put into a travel fund in our local region. travel pay ranges from $20 to $45 per trip.

Philly Area

HS

Varsity $72-78
Only game where you get mileage is for the State Final (piaa pays for mileage per driver)

College
PSAC 235
NJAC 175
MAC 175

No Mileage

WIAA - Wisconsin for playoffs.

Officials will be paid:
a. Officiating Fee - $70. (Checks and contracts to be issued by the host school.)
b. Expenses - 45¢ per mile (round trip) for travel.
c. Officials shall travel together with mileage paid to one official. If officials choose to travel separately,
the mileage for the longest trip may be split between the officials.
d. There is no separate meal and/or room allowance.

I'd say we're on lower end of the stick here nationwide...but still not a bad gig.

Pay
 

Here in Northern Virginia it ranges from about $63 for a 7 man fee for Varsity to $110 for a 4 man fee for Varsity, we do mostly 5 man during regular season and that is from $89 to $98 depending on classification, which ranges from 2A to 6A. No travel, no mileage, just 2 hours to go 30 miles in rush hour. We are required to be there a minimum of 90 minutes prior to game time as well.

VA-Blu

In Michigan the conferences, or individual schools set the rate of pay for each sport. For football, the conference I assign a different sport in pays $60 per official for a 5 man crew (no mileage), JV/Freshman pays $90 for 2 games with a 4 man crew or $72 per official for a 5 man crew (this is for working 2 games).


For the MHSAA playoffs, the MHSAA sets the pay rate.

Pre-District or District $55 per official. Regional $60, Semifinal and Finals $65 per game.

The MHSAA will pay mileage to officials for post-season games if they travel over 50 miles at the rate of $0.20 per mile over 50 miles. They also pay a per diem for some events as needed, including meals at the rate of $14 per day and may pay for lodging.



Personally in the events I work, I prefer not to accept the mileage, as the IRS mileage rate is much better than the mileage the MHSAA pays, and I also do self employed work outside of officiating, so I generally claim a large chunk of my yearly mileage anyway.

Arizona $70 game fee, .44 per mile for driver (round trip), .04 per mile rider. In Metro area (Phoenix, Tucson) you only get $10 for mileage.