Possible Week 1 Ref Boycott?

[Raider6309]

https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/hig ... 07c7be8f30

The CFOA made a request in February to conferences in an effort to raise wages for officials, asking for 80 a game this season with increases by $10 each year until they receive $100 per game. It appears those requests have not been met, and now, a majority of refs are open to sitting out.
"We gave them a survey originally," Bondra said of his fellow officials. "We asked how many guys are willing to sit out Week One if, in fact, that conference that you're working in doesn't pay at least $80 a game, and eight out of every 10 said they would boycott the games."

[mustard]

Let them work on a base pay and tips.

[Almost Champions]

Let them work on a base pay and tips.

Come do Racine basketball. If we win, the tips are fantastic.

[mrwonderful]

let them walk...lol.. Just like the Basketball Refs 90% of them wouldn't be able to stand more than 1 week of being sidelined!! If you wait em out they'll do it for free..I'm convinced of that..Their ate up with it.....lol

[Ground Buck]

let them walk...lol.. Just like the Basketball Refs 90% of them wouldn't be able to stand more than 1 week of being sidelined!! If you wait em out they'll do it for free..I'm convinced of that..Their ate up with it.....lol

Yep, let them walk. Someone will do the games. If it comes to getting $60 to $70 or $0 I bet they choose the former.

[Crab's Brother]

Back to back clueless responses.

The ref shortage is very real and it will only get worse.

[Orange and Brown]

Back to back clueless responses.

The ref shortage is very real and it will only get worse.

It's a mess trying to find officials. People only think of Friday nights as well. You have to find crews for JV and Jr high on top of it.
They need paid more.

[formerfcfan]

The refs need to be paid more. Not only is it simple 'supply vs demand', but the officials' wages have been stagnant for a while.

Kudos to the refs up there for getting organized and taking the bold step of coming forward with their concerns. It might not be popular, but it's necessary.

Schools/conferences may balk at the notion that they're going to have to pay more, but it's already happening in Central Ohio. The Ohio Capital Conference got out in front of it and agreed to give the refs more money. The Mid-State League, beginning last fall, basically told everyone in the room they have to get the schedules set 2-years in advance for league games, now, in order to get the dates notched down and the officials assigned as an insurance policy. Planning ahead. There's a shortage of guys and the demand is higher than ever up this way. The way I see it, "we can't charge more" isn't going to be an excuse to not pay the refs a fairer rate going forward. It's either going to be up the revenue to meet the expenses, or cut the expenses (like cutting the reserve schedules for the court sports in half) to be more in line with the revenue pools the schools have to work with.

[toast]

Embarrassing low pay. Glad they are standing together and demanding economic justice.

Hard to believe anyone would try to justify their compensation for a tough job.

[TigerBob]

If you have an hour drive, that’s probably 3-5 gallons of gas. So $10-$20 dollars even at lower prices, up to $30-$35 depending on prices and MPG. Show up 90 minutes before a quick 2 hour game, that’s 3.5 hours at minimum. That’s $20 an hour at best, with a net profit of $50 or so on a good week.

[bbjunky81]

It should be $100 a game and I’ve said that for a few years. People don’t want to officiate and who can blame them? The pay is terrible and the parents are even worse. Those saying it’s too much have free reign to become an official and speak about how $60-$70 is fair once they’re on the other side of the fence.

[RollCoal]

I agree the official’s should make more. And like what has been stated above, some folks are absolutely HORRIBLE in the way they act at games. I watched a coach get tossed a couple weeks ago at my son’s district Little Leauge game.

[greygoose]

Yeah the officials are underpaid in a big way, they have to take care of their own transportation. So they're paying for gas and maintenance on personal vehicles. OHSAA needs to take the money they're making and make the classes for officials and certification free with the hopes of getting more to join. At that point each league or OHSAA themselves need to form a trust where teams are paying before the season starts to pay these guys appropriately if a school can't pay their portion up front they're left to fend for themselves. I mean these guys have to buy their uniforms, pay for their gas, run their car around and the only payment they're getting is simply for the game. Heck just starting out with classes, certification, uniforms my guess is an official is 2-3 years in just to try to get his money back especially starting out they're doing the lower level games.

[greygoose]

let them walk...lol.. Just like the Basketball Refs 90% of them wouldn't be able to stand more than 1 week of being sidelined!! If you wait em out they'll do it for free..I'm convinced of that..Their ate up with it.....lol

Congrats, possibly #1 definitely top 3 clueless remark of the week/month.

[Geronimo]

100.00 a game with gas prices and bs is a deal !!! Jmo

[MTSWNGRVSG]

Yes officials need more pay but don’t complain when ticket prices go to $8 for a high school game. Let’s look at this if it is $100 a game, say it is a 6 man crew which means $600 for officials. The cost of security say 2 deputies say $200 next. Next figure on paying EMS say another $100 at least. Figure on the cost to paint the field which with the way inflation is going say $500. Then you have to pay for the program with transportation to your road games which includes, bus driver, fuel, mileage on the bus, depending on the district how much the board picks up-some none so possibly 500 to a 1,000 for each road game not including band. Helmets now run for around 225, shoulder pads say 125, game pants 70, jersey 60-90, not including practice gear. Football brings in the most money by far but also has the most expenses too. Some small school programs maybe happy if they see a gate over $3,000 if the are lucky. I know some are lucky if the bring in $8,00 for the season. Yea there are larger schools that are disappointed if a gate is below $8,000 for a game. Hate to say this with numbers playing football shrinking smaller schools maybe driven out of having teams.

[formerfcfan]

Yes officials need more pay but don’t complain when ticket prices go to $8 for a high school game.
…

Hate to say this with numbers playing football shrinking smaller schools maybe driven out of having teams.

Again, I would argue that if schools would just reduce the number of reserve games across the other sports then they wouldn’t need to increase the budget to account for paying officials better for football (and, eventually, basketball / other sports.)

[Geronimo]

If you don't pay it call your own games that's what it coming to ?

[Geronimo]

Go to the gas pump they don't feel sorry or the store ?

[EasternDspy]

Tickets probably should go up everything else did.