Umpire not calling the game by the rules and no protests

[Gtrips07]

Think there is an Umpire shortage because the number of softball games has exploded!

Supply and demand changed.

Plenty of people have more than one job.

Really? Has the number of high school games exploded? Has the number of college games exploded? Not really. Please provide some stats that backs this up.


What's the average age of an umpire? If the pay was so good, good enough to actually end up with money in your pocket at the rates some folks around here think, then the average umpire age wouldn't be north of 60. Heck look at the average age of NCAA umpires.

If your point was accurate, then average age would be much lower as the supply of umpires would be filled by younger folks.


And as I said before most people don't umpire for a job, they do it because they like the sport. They're aren't doing to put a roof over their heads. And I'm sorry most folks working retail don't have to deal with the pieces of work during lower level softball games.

The pay hasn't kept up with the expenses and the attitudes of coaches and parents. Many years ago when I started I made three dollars for the bases and four for the plate. When I was in my early twenties major D1 was paying 125-150 for a mide week game and 150-175 for a weekend series plus some per diem. This was all baseball, which are longer games. Have not worked this level softball but I'm sure they aren't much more than that now. Maybe some folks working them can tell you.



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[Gtrips07]

The parents aren't paying the umpires directly and are not "customers" of the umpire. A poor way of looking at it and part of the problem...

And this is why no one wants to umpire. I'd like to go these type of folks jobs and ride their asses too. Sometimes they FORGET IT IS A GAME

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[Gtrips07]

agree. I am just addressing the shortage issue.

Hell somebody might be fine with the abuse but they then cannot turn around and act like they don’t understand why there are not umpires..

Pattar you and I are in agreement on this. In the last twenty years it's been decided that it is ok to ride officials both as a coach and player and then get mad when they don't feel like they have tough enough skim. It's an epidemic on our society.

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[marriard]

Arrive an hour early. Jesus H man come on. Find me an ump that doesn't get hyperbolic in these discussions please! Can't take any of this serious with these exaggerations being thrown around.

It is not exaggeration. I am expected to be there an hour before HS games. Some people may cut it to 30 minutes for some regular season games, but the requirement here where I work games, it is an hour.

With Travel I am expected to be there at least 30 minutes before my first game to get ready.
College is 2 hours or more. Same for HS State Playoff games.

Here is the exact text from my latest High School assignment email:

"All officiating crew members will be expected to be at the game site no later than 1 hour prior to their scheduled game time. Please make sure the crew chief contacts the host school Athletic Director to confirm game arrangements. Please have the crew chief email the results of their game to XXX"

Just because you don't see it happening and don't understand, doesn't mean it isn't happening.

 

[mmeece]

Arrive an hour early. Jesus H man come on. Find me an ump that doesn't get hyperbolic in these discussions please! Can't take any of this serious with these exaggerations being thrown around.

You don't have to believe it but this is the expectation in most areas. Throw in leaving early to allow for traffic and we may well arrive earlier than that. Just because you don't see the umpires doesn't mean they aren't there. In most cases we've already spoken to the coaches on the field, gotten dressed/equipped, and had our pregame discussion by 30 minutes prior to game-time.

 

[inumpire]

What do you call umps hanging in the basement....a whine cellar.

Sooooo, I have yet to see a regular job that covers...any of that extraneous stuff. Talk about asking for the moon.

Just checked the big employers. Counties, Cities, hospitals, food service, car sales, construction, etc. Got to show up to work to get paid, no company car or gas money, lots require degrees & training & CE & Certs & memberships to even apply, got to wear clothes to the office, ETC

Travel ball
75 min/finish inning (Some time the mercy rule ends games really early)
1 ump $90/2+ ump $60ea
NO TAXES

School Basketball
$50 Game/2 Ref

You forgot no insurance.
rainouts, no pay
And don’t really think you could support a wife and a couple kids on what any umpire makes on the non professional level.

 

[inumpire]

Arrive an hour early. Jesus H man come on. Find me an ump that doesn't get hyperbolic in these discussions please! Can't take any of this serious with these exaggerations being thrown around.

That is a basic requirement for an umpire at the HS and college level. Sorry you don’t believe that. But it is a fact that we live with every game.

 

[inumpire]

Seriously...

Supposed to arrive an hour early
Games average about 2 hours.
15-20 min debrief post game
Various other non-paid things you are required to do; scheduling, contacting schools, partners, coaches and coordinating, etc.
Depending on where; various travel which I don't count unless it is significantly over an hour. You may or may not be paid some travel but if you do, it is at cost.

Also varsity HS pay in Florida is $79.

I use 3:30 as time commitment in my calcs of pay rate.

You left off all the Tylenol and Alleve we have to by…..

 

[RADcatcher]

Really? Has the number of high school games exploded? Has the number of college games exploded? Not really. Please provide some stats that backs this up.

Over a span of time yes there are more high schools and college programs. The largest category would be
Travel ball is huge now.

Heres an example
Look at the Colorado events that are all happening same week and the hundreds of teams that play in all those age brackets now, ginormously grown.
They have to hire an army of umpires for that event. Could that cause a shortage somewhere else, think it could.


Quick google search

Women's History Month great time to reflect on softball's rich history

MARCH IS Women's History Month, and as we celebrate women's contributions to history, culture and society at a national level, what better time to honor those closer to home – the players, coaches and administrators whose efforts have elevated women's fastpitch softball to the extraordinary...

nfca.org

Can see over time the rising numbers have more than doubled

While that is over a span (chunk of years) can see large increase. Can look up high schools and see that similar trend of more high school programs.

 

[Gtrips07]

Over a span of time yes there are more high schools and college programs. The largest category would be
Travel ball is huge now.

Heres an example
Look at the Colorado events that are all happening same week and the hundreds of teams that play in all those age brackets now, ginormously grown.
They have to hire an army of umpires for that event. Could that cause a shortage somewhere else, think it could.



You don't have to agree. You're welcome to look up other examples for yourself.

You avoided the other question if there's so many umpires why is the average age over 60?


If umpiring was so attractive then people would flock to do it but it isn't happening.

And saying more isn't really a quantifiable number. Please provide some actual statistics. What is the percentage growth the last ten years?


And all of these travel tournaments are drawing kids away from rec ball, which is dying because some parent thinks their kid needs to be on an 8u travel team.

I can quantify that there's a shortage of softball umpires with a Google search and with the data that's been presented here before.



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