Refs blow whistle on pay structure

[KFDM COOP]

Interesting article on ref/ump pay ...

Refs blow whistle on pay structure

10:38 AM CDT on Wednesday, June 20, 2007

By KEITH WHITMIRE / The Dallas Morning News

[email protected]

For toiling in the heat, cold, wind and dust while umpiring high school softball games, Plano's Gary Tolle gets paid $35 a game plus mileage.

"I don't think the average fan has any clue what the average official is getting paid," Tolle said. "And if they did, they'd question their sanity."

Fees for high school game officials and umpires, and how those fees are negotiated, have become a point of contention for the state's athletic directors. A recent UIL athletic committee meeting brought the issue to the forefront.

Officials say it's time for a raise, even a small one. Athletic directors have bristled at some local chapters' attempts to negotiate higher fees. They also want the UIL to further standardize the way officials are paid and reimbursed for travel and meals.

Like many officials, Tolle, who has umpired softball for nine years, calls games to supplement a full-time job. Tolle designs layouts for Army and Air Force PXs (goods stores found on military posts).

"Like any other businessman, I would like to make more money," Tolle said. "The thing that concerns me the most is, whether it's club ball or school ball, the money's got to come from somewhere. Are you going to run the well dry?"

Athletic directors at the June 12 meeting of the UIL's athletics committee said some officials' chapters had made pay demands that, if not met, could result in less-qualified or fewer officials working their games.

"It's evolved into ... almost like a labor-management situation," Grand Prairie ISD athletic director Fred Clausen said. Clausen is the president-elect of the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association. "We want the UIL to sit down there, hammer it out, and get something everyone agrees on."

The rules

The UIL does have rules for the payment of officials. Section 1204 of its Constitution and Contest Rules is designed to avoid negotiations by serving as a default agreement – anything above and beyond it is technically in violation of UIL policy.

Most of the game fees established in 1204 are based on gate receipts, a formula that works well for football. In most other sports, school districts will negotiate a flat per-game fee with local officiating chapters.

The UIL allows schools to pay mileage for one car, with a maximum of two cars if the school district gives prior consent. That doesn't work well if a five-man crew working a football game in Dallas has officials who live all over the area.

The UIL allows for meals and other expenses to be reimbursed if the schools agree to it. Because school districts can go beyond UIL minimums if they choose to, it opens the door for negotiations.

Clausen said Region III of the athletic directors' association, which includes Dallas-Fort Worth, has had to take action to avoid members outbidding each other for services.

Mansfield ISD athletic director Debbie Weems said she has gotten reports from coaches where officials have made insinuations about pay.

"They've made comments that the reason you don't get either the number or the quality is because your district doesn't pay," Weems said. "But when that was brought to my attention, I addressed that with that particular chapter and that was taken care of, because that's not right."

Steven Ellinger, executive director of the Texas Association of Sports Officials, the umbrella organization for the state's officiating associations, said he has had to remind some chapters that school districts don't have to negotiate because they are bound by UIL rules.

Ellinger noted that officials are independent contractors who can refuse game assignments on an individual basis, but they must abide by the fees agreed upon by their chapters.

"For chapters to go back to the schools and say, 'If you don't pay this, we're not going to work,' goes against what we're trying to do," Ellinger said.

The asking price

Ellinger hopes to get a $5 per-game pay increase for officials. The last pay increase for officials was three years ago. By rule, the UIL must review officials' pay every three years.

No one seems to think officials are overpaid but, unless the UIL raises the rates, it's difficult for athletic directors to justify any increase when budgets are already tight. Dallas ISD officials estimate they spend $200,000 a year on officials for competition from junior high to varsity.

"It doesn't sound like much when you tell the public, but five dollars adds up to 30 or 40 thousand in a hurry," Grand Prairie's Clausen said. "They probably deserve it, but I can't go to my superintendent and ask for an increase in my budget because an officials association raised the rate. The UIL has to raise the rate."

According to the UIL's pay scale, a football official earns a minimum of $40 per game. The fee rises depending upon gross gate receipts. It's not uncommon for a football offical to earn $80 to $100 per game.

Based on a fee schedule on the Web site of the Dallas Baseball Umpires Association, baseball umpires earn $40 a game plus a travel reimbursement of $14 to $17. According to an official with the Dallas Metroplex Softball Umpires Association, softball umps earn $35 a game plus mileage.

In basketball, some school districts pay a flat rate, perhaps $50 to $60 a game, while others use the UIL's fee scale based on gate receipts. Paying based on the gate can lead to contention from the officials' point of view.

"It comes up when a guy would go into a jam-packed gym and they get a [minimum] check for $65," said Perry Daniels, president of the Dallas Basketball Officials Association. "We just have to trust the person that's doing the accounting for the school that they're doing the correct deal."

Weems and other athletic directors contend that a full stadium or gym is often populated with people who get in free, such as school district employees.

"You can't look up in the stands in our school district and determine how much money we have from the gate," Weems said.

UIL to take a look

Because of the issues raised at the UIL's athletic committee meeting, the UIL's staff will study officials' pay and report to the Legislative Council in October.

"It's an issue and concern that will always be there, quite frankly, because we've never been able to pay them what they need and deserve, but it doesn't mean they aren't appreciated," UIL athletic coordinator Peter Contreras said.

Contreras, who moonlights as a college basketball official, said besides recommending a raise, a simplification of some of the fees and policies would benefit officials and school districts.

"I think every effort will be made to make some adjustments to 1204 to help those guys [officials] from a financial standpoint," Contreras said.

UIL PAY STRUCTURE FOR OFFICIALS

Excerpts from Section 1204 of the UIL's Constitution and Contest Rules:

FOOTBALL

Gross gate receipts 1 game's pay

Up to $150 $40

$150-$250 $45

$250-$500 $50

$500-$1,000 $55

$1,000-$2,000 $60

$2,000-$3,000 $65

$3,000-$4,000 $70

$4,000-$5,000 $75

$5,000-$7,500 $80

$7,500-$10,000 $85

$10,000-$12,500 $90

$12,500-$15,000 $100

$15,000-$17,500 $110

$17,500-$20,500 $120

Each additional $5,000: additional $20

BASKETBALL

Two-person crew: varsity

Gross gate receipts 1 game 2 games

Up to $150 $35 $60

$150-$300 $45 $70

$300-$500 $60 $85

$500-$700 $65 $90

$700-$1,000 $70 $100

$1,000-$1,500 $80 $110

$1,500-$2,000 $90 $120

Each additional $1,000: additional $20

Three-person crew: varsity

Gross gate receipts 1 game 2 games

Up to $150 $30 $50

$150-$300 $40 $60

$300-$500 $45 $65

$500-$700 $50 $70

$700-$1,000 $55 $75

$1,000-$1,500 $65 $85

$1,500-$2,000 $75 $95

Each additional $1,000: additional $20

WHAT THE UIL ALLOWS

MAXIMUM MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT

• Officials should be paid round trip from official's home to the site of the game or scrimmage.

• Officials shall be paid state mileage reimbursement for one car for travel over 20 miles round trip.

• State mileage reimbursement per car, maximum two cars from the same chapter, could be paid by prior consent of the school.

• When officials come from different chapters, one car from each chapter may receive state mileage reimbursement round trip mileage.

OTHER ALLOWABLE EXPENSES

• Meals – If there is previous agreement between officials and schools, schools may pay up to $30 per day for meals. Recommended: breakfast $8; lunch $10; evening meal $12.

• Lodging – By agreement by the officials and schools, schools may pay lodging.

• Ground transportation – If prior agreement exists, schools may pay taxi fare, etc., for officials.

LIMITATION – No other item shall be included in payment of officials.

[Guest Yard Bird]

I think coaches would be willing to pay more if they know they would be getting a quality outing.  Some of the guys ref-ing in our area are below par and have only a limit knowledge of the rules.

[PoppaBearstarr]

well you could deffinately tell a difference at the state basketball tournament, those guy's called a great game, but the regional game was horrific. We actually had a ref shoot the finger at the student section of the fans, we asked him about it the next day and he blew it off as he was wiping his forhead off with one finger. yeah right.

[teeboan]

Why don't you join us and maybe you could help us improve. I go to several clinics a year (football official state meeting in college station in 2 weeks) for football and baseball. The majority of us work very hard to stay up on the rules and mechanics. Do you? The Beaumont Football Chapter begins holding meetings in 2 weeks at the Jefferson county courthouse. We welcome your expertise.