Umpire Hospitality at ASA Nationals
 

I was wondering if any of you might know the answer to this. When an ASA National is held who is responsible for the hospitality at the Umpire's Tent/Room at the ballpark.

Is that cost paid by a local Umpire Association, the State ASA Umpire Association, or is that part of the bidding process by the Softball Park/Association that hosts the National? A combination of the above?

Perhaps some of you that have hosted a tournament could or some of you that have attended a National that know the answer could respond.

Thanks

You are kidding, right? ;)

Anything done for the umpires is completely up to the discretion and purse strings of the host. Some do a great job, some don't even think about it.

Never heard of an umpire going to 'Bama and not come back satisfied. Parts of FL are great.

Some think a pizza and a couple beers is a treat while others lay out spreads that just blow you away. Some are done by the host, but I've seen places where umpires have to pool their money if they want anything which even resembles a social event.

Treat the umpires good and they will go back and tell every umpire how great it is to visit your town. Treat them poorly and an umpire may turn down a national just because it is being held in your town.

Wish I was. I am in a dispute with a local association here that has done and is scheduled to do Nationals this year in the future. They are saying they have no responsiblity towards the umpires as far as hospitality at the field. That is solely up to the umpires. This totally contradicts what the State ASA Commissioner is saying. It might be getting ready to get ugly!

Well, he who holds the purse strings, controls this situation.

If the "local association" refers to an umpire group that is involved, they should host the visiting umpires. However, they should not be expected to bear the expenses of doing so.

Personally, I feel the host (whoever is charging the teams) should foot the majority of this responsibility. This is often done by finding someone to sponsor an activity, food, drink, whatever.

Amen, Mike. Fort Payne and Montgomery in AL and Tallahassee have treated me wonderfully. :cool:

I guess it depends on what you consider "hospitality".

According to the ASA Code, the bidding agency is responsible to house and feed the umpires during scheduled games. If they are housed in a hotel with a breakfast, then they must provide lunch and dinner; otherwise, they must provide 3 meals a day when games are played.

The host is also responsible to provide an umpire "party" for the umpire awards of certificates, coins, etc. There is no minimum standard, although that usually includes a meal (pizza, perhaps, if Saturday night, or a breakfast if Sunday morning before games).

Generally, if there is a "hospitality" after games (at a hotel suite, for example, with adult beverages and snacks), that is typically hosted by the local umpire association (to eliminate liability for the host agency). Some host agencies also include snacks and soft drinks for this, and only expect the host umpire association to provide the adult beverages they can (or should) not.

As an umpire coordinator at several nationals, and having attended more than a few (21), if you want to ask me a more specific question or questions in a private message, feel free. You can also tell the reticent host that their level of support will absolutely be reported and be considered in any future efforts to host an ASA National.

I've been to my share of Nationals...
 

And hospitality has ranged from awesome (College Station, TX; Mobile, AL; Lancaster, CA) to pretty much non-existent (I won't mention names here). At the non-existent the umpire "party" was a pizza party at the pavillion at the ball fields. Just the place all the umpires wanted to be on Saturday night. At this particular tournament, our umpire coordinator came to me to tell me he had gotten a "good start on adult beverages". There were 19 umpires at this tournament. I asked him what he considered "a good start". His response to me was "I got a 6 pack of beer". After I got my laughing under control I asked him to go with me and I would show him what a "good start" entailed. I purchased 4 cases of beer with my own money. That seemed to get things moving.

Incidentaly this was the weekend of Princess Diana's death.

Steve,

Don't know where you are reading this, but the only requirement I can find in the code is the host is responsible for umpire fees and housing.

I understand what should happen and, as an umpire coordinator, what you are directed to do, but I can see nothing that is actually in black and white.

And I have a feeling I know where Brian's non-existent party took place. We had one where the party was pizza on the porch attached to trailers which acted as a very crowded dressing room for the umpires. Only problem was that every person associated with the tournament, their family and friends were all invited and the umpire basically got what was leftover. And there were also hot dogs if the umpire wanted to fire up the grill and make them.

At the tournament I UICd, I pretty much had to beg for some help in putting together something at the last second. When I originally asked what may have been planned, those running the tournament just had a blank stare. Nice people, but they were totally clueless. I helped put something together with the help of a couple other umpires.

The unofficial policy here in SeaTown is that when we host a National, our Umpire's Association provides hospitality (meals, water and snacks) for the umpires throughout the tournament, as well as the umpire dinner on the last night of the tournament.

As the umpire coordinator for the 18A Western last year, that task fell on me. We spent around $1200 for the entire week, and that included the banquet. Those there can attest that my girlfriend made a darn good clam and shrimp boil - tailgate style, along with all kinds of salads and snacks, and chicken and hamburgers right off the grill. (Being a catering director, she has some "in's" for this kind of thing.) :)

This was a slow pitch tournament in a southern state that boarders Florida. One of the funniest things that happened was the night of the draw. I always try to go to the draw when I can. This was the Women's A National. At the draw I sat near one of the teams and was told that the swimming pool at their hotel didn't work but the hotel across the road was a "sister" hotel and they could use that pool. While walking across the street to the "sister" hotel in their bathing suits, a Sheriff's Deputy stopped them and made them go back to their hotel because they didn't allow females to dress like that in public. I laughed my butt off at that one.

Must've been one of those towns that declares three women living together to be a brothel.

Mine was a men's major in a cowboy state.

If this is the one I'm thinking of - HAHAHAHA
They're the same ones that are sure nobody really wants to go to a national, so they never send anyone.

Easy, big fella.

There was a guy here who I won't name but he was the umpire coordinator at the 18U Western held here last year.:eek:

Anyway, at one of our tournaments he was at the "headquarters" hotel. Had to run for a kegga beer or something and was waiting for the elevator to go back up. Elevator door opens and here are a couple of players from the tournament. He recognizes them, they probly recognize him. They are, um, out of uniform as they head for the pool.

He had a hard time focusing on their strike zone the next day.