Umpire Pay and Where to start

[radness]

I told my assigner that I will not do any more one umpire games, not so much that I can't do them (I have done plenty of them), but it's ridiculous that I only get $5 more to do the job of 2 umpires. I brought this up to the guy who runs our organization that we should at least get 1.5 of the fee, but he had no good answer for me. Why in my pocket when it can go in his pocket, I guess.

Like you and many umpires have said here, I don't do it for the money, I do it for the love of the game, put don't take advantage of me.

✔
1 umpire more field and plays to cover.

$5 more is cheesy...
Come on now!

 

[marriard]

In Florida we don't see assignor fees - they get paid directly from tourneys/associations/etc. So whatever I get is clear.

No org in Florida does 1 umpire in travel. That is stupid and unacceptable and no team would sign up. It is all 2-man.

We should be turning 1-man assignments down - maybe the orgs will make some sort of effort to help recruit and develop if they can't staff these games. It is insane that is becoming acceptable in some areas and that you are not collecting 2x fee if you do one.

$40/game for up to 75 min games. USSSA, Fast Pitch Orlando and NSA which are the other common orgs.
PGF generally is longer games, so $60-75
I don't know what USA/ASA pays at the moment (nor do I care)
HS Varsity is $79 (which includes a travel fee), an extra few dollars for playoffs. I think I got $109 for the state final. I haven't done JV the last couple of seasons - I think it is $50/game for 90 min games(plus a $12 travel fee).
Rec is generally 1-man and $50. I do the occasional one here and there to help out if no one is available.
Scrimmages are basically the same - $50 for 1 umpire.

I am also going to point out that ALL these amounts are rising annually at this point - and are going to go up again next season. So add $3-5/game more or so to all these numbers starting Sept 1.

There is no independent contacting of officials where I am apart from scrimmages; all the schools and tourneys work through an umpires organization or an assignor who assigns games.

 

[kennykozman!!]

I told my assigner that I will not do any more one umpire games, not so much that I can't do them (I have done plenty of them), but it's ridiculous that I only get $5 more to do the job of 2 umpires. I brought this up to the guy who runs our organization that we should at least get 1.5 of the fee, but he had no good answer for me. Why in my pocket when it can go in his pocket, I guess.

Like you and many umpires have said here, I don't do it for the money, I do it for the love of the game, put don't take advantage of me.

I do NOT work games alone any longer either. It is not worth the hassle and the compensation doesn't make up for all the blind spots in one man mechanics. You get what you pay for.

 

[The Man In Blue]

In Florida we don't see assignor fees - they get paid directly from tourneys/associations/etc. So whatever I get is clear.

No org in Florida does 1 umpire in travel. That is stupid and unacceptable and no team would sign up. It is all 2-man.

We should be turning 1-man assignments down - maybe the orgs will make some sort of effort to help recruit and develop if they can't staff these games. It is insane that is becoming acceptable in some areas and that you are not collecting 2x fee if you do one.

$40/game for up to 75 min games. USSSA, Fast Pitch Orlando and NSA which are the other common orgs.
PGF generally is longer games, so $60-75
I don't know what USA/ASA pays at the moment (nor do I care)
HS Varsity is $79 (which includes a travel fee), an extra few dollars for playoffs. I think I got $109 for the state final. I haven't done JV the last couple of seasons - I think it is $50/game for 90 min games(plus a $12 travel fee).
Rec is generally 1-man and $50. I do the occasional one here and there to help out if no one is available.
Scrimmages are basically the same - $50 for 1 umpire.

I am also going to point out that ALL these amounts are rising annually at this point - and are going to go up again next season. So add $3-5/game more or so to all these numbers starting Sept 1.

There is no independent contacting of officials where I am apart from scrimmages; all the schools and tourneys work through an umpires organization or an assignor who assigns games.

You bring up something that I really have not encountered ... umps paying their assignor. This is UNACCEPTABLE. I had one assignor who tried to get us all to pay him $5 "so he could get a software scheduling program" ... sorry man, that's your business expense and you are being paid by the schools. You aren't buying my gear so you I can work for you.

In my ten years, I've seen average pay go up by less than $1/year. School games haven't changed much (other than a few schools who knew they were underpaying), but tournament games have gone from $35 to $40-$45.

Also, I know what you meant @marriard , but so that verbiage doesn't confuse new officials, you ARE independent contractors under law. Account for your taxes accordingly!

(I wish we had a strong/worthwhile association or assignor in my areas.)

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

I do 8u through 16u softball and baseball.

All baseball tournaments are 2 man.

All large softball tournaments are 2 man.

Most small softball tournaments are 2 man only for semis and championship (but 1 man for pool, and early bracket).

All championship tournaments (where winners move on district > state > region, etc.) are 2 man.

Rec softball and friendlies is generally 1.

Rec baseball and friendlies 60ft and 70ft are 1, 90ft are 2.

I see same pay whether its 1 or 2, rec or travel, tournament or not, timed or not. All 65, no assignor fee.

All this and I don’t drive more than 30 mins from my house.

I do a LOT of 1 man rec and friendlies for both. And a lot of 1 man small tournament pool play. It is definitely not ideal, but the games could just not be covered otherwise. We already scramble to cover what we do. In June alone I’m on 30 games (and that’s with taking a Fri-Sun off to go to a tourney with my DD, plus 5 days with no games). A lot of those are 2 man district tournament games, but about half aren’t. And I get calls all the time from other assignors (which I turn down, I like the org I’m in).

Though I’d always rather have a partner, I don’t mind 1 man so much (so far). Though I know it’s coming, I haven’t had a game yet where it’s been an issue with handling coaches. There are giant compromises. Runners leaving early, seeing tag ups, steals of second.

Last Wed I had R2 and R3 with a deep trouble ball to left center….fielders collide, ball hits F8’s glove, rolls up her arm, and as they fall down she catches it. Coach appeals R2 leaving second early…..hahaha. I call safe, and he says “ARE YOU SURE?”. Yep, of course I’m sure, I was able to watch the catch/no catch, AND see both runners leave at first touch because I am the most amazing umpire in the world. Super sure. Lol.

 

[Strike2]

Really useful thread. I totally agree about two (or even three) man for tournaments / school games. For Rec around where I live, I often see two man, but I remember lots of 1-man games in younger age groups. Yeah, there are things that will get missed, but I don't see that as a big deal. Many things are funny to me in retrospect, such as arguing with a single umpire about something they obviously couldn't see, and not knowing how to ask the right question at the right moment to a multi-umpire crew.

One way to address shortages is to offer more money. As everything else seems to be going up in price, it's a good bet that umpire fees are going up as well.