Here's a first for me.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by MNBlue

99% of the travel games in Minnesota, 10U - 18U, are one umpire.

Fact of life in Minnesota.

The leagues would rather put up with missed calls than pay for a second umpire.

Marketing 101. Price in a way to incentivize what you want to happen. Now, maybe you don't have the manpower to two man, but I do, and price accordingly.

This isn't intended to start a war on appropriate pricing, but here is what I charge, to incentivize two man, and minimum of two games:

Two umpires, two (or more) games = $168 ($42/umpire/game, base rate)
Two umpires, one game = $126 (150% each for single)
One umpire, two games = $126 (150% each game for solo)
One umpire, one game = $84 (200% of base rate)

I am in a market with competing umpire associations on every side of my "territory", I am at the top of the competing scale, but have never lost a customer on pricing (15+ years running my own show).

Very few rec leagues have opted for one umpire with this pricing structure after 8U coach pitch (one league I service does one for 10U, none at 12 and older). I know of zero tournaments in Georgia by any association that use one umpire; I do get an occasional request for one for "practice/scrimmage" games by travel teams.

I also make sure anyone considering one umpire understands that they may be getting the less experienced umpire that should be learning and gaining more experience from the more senior partner that night .......