The Decline of Umpiring

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Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
In my experience.
Working at Starbucks was harder than umpiring.

Actually the barista at starbucks interacts with hundreds of people hour. At one point we were instructed to look every customer in the eye when handing their beverage saying their name. While we were at a working pace of not having a line of people that had to wait longer than 3 minutes from standing in the line to receiving their drink.
100 customers per half hour.
Burn milk recently? Makes for a bad reaction!!!

Could go into the other job responsibilities but probably not necessary.

Umpiring pays better.
Just like any other job it comes down to an individual decision. What I have noticed in my area over the past 10 years is that less people are willing to be umpires or coaches. It isn't limited to those fields, but those fields are most definitely impacted. I recently heard a new phrase called "The Great Resignation" to describe the current environment of the U.S. job market. It's a very challenging time for many businesses, and employees for that matter. As someone stated, umpiring is a job, so it's not surprising that it faces many of the same challenges that other jobs face. If the industry (youth sports) cannot find a way to improve the work environment or the wages/benefits, the challenge will continue. That's why you are seeing those service industry jobs paying higher wages.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Just like any other job it comes down to an individual decision. What I have noticed in my area over the past 10 years is that less people are willing to be umpires or coaches. It isn't limited to those fields, but those fields are most definitely impacted. I recently heard a new phrase called "The Great Resignation" to describe the current environment of the U.S. job market. It's a very challenging time for many businesses, and employees for that matter. As someone stated, umpiring is a job, so it's not surprising that it faces many of the same challenges that other jobs face. If the industry (youth sports) cannot find a way to improve the work environment or the wages/benefits, the challenge will continue. That's why you are seeing those service industry jobs paying higher wages.
Hadn't heard that phrase 'the great resignation'
there certainly is a trend...

Hard not to derail off into the pay scale discussion... definitely money and where someone lives are choices that people are making different decisions for.
Imagine harder work restrictions now will impact those decisions to.

Thinking back and all these years I don't think I've ever encountered an ad for employment to be an Umpire. Maybe there was one particular place that you had to go look to find that job but just in the regular job market search can't remember seeing ads for that.

Even though I did umpire for Bobby Sox League when I was in high school.
By asking the league.
 
Last edited:

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Questions:
1.How many people think there are more games now than there were five years ago?
2. How many years do umpires continue to umpire?
3. How many % people are willing to educate themselves and qualify to be able to be umpires?
Certification right?

Since there is some flexibility in the hours that you can schedule to work.
That would be a good thing.
However the other point a poster made about it being a secondary job for people makes it easier to walk away from.
Maybe could be some validity to that.
 
Jul 19, 2021
630
93
. Youth sports? Nope...not even close. While any youth sports official should take pride in doing that job (notice small cap) as well as possible, it's pretty close to volunteer work. It had better be more enjoyable than not because there are plenty of other options for making better money.
Really? What are they?. As pointed out earlier, you can make $300 in a 9 hour day of umpiring. That's over $30/hour. No service job pays that. Not even close to that.
 
May 21, 2018
567
93
Really? What are they?. As pointed out earlier, you can make $300 in a 9 hour day of umpiring. That's over $30/hour. No service job pays that. Not even close to that.
Learn to play an instrument, or sing, and join a cover band. Money is better and you can drink beer while doing it.
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
Questions:
1.How many people think there are more games now than there were five years ago?
2. How many years do umpires continue to umpire?
3. How many % people are willing to educate themselves and qualify to be able to be umpires?
Certification right?

Since there is some flexibility in the hours that you can schedule to work.
That would be a good thing.
However the other point a poster made about it being a secondary job for people makes it easier to walk away from.
Maybe could be some validity to that.
1. There are more games, specially weekends because there is now 6u TB. LOL
2. Too many, but we need them.
3. Not enough.

Tip to umps:
Be assertive. As soon as the chirping starts, immediately stop the game call the HC over and tell him if the chirping (from coach or parents) doesn't come to a complete stop NOW you are getting thrown out. Period. Don't give him a chance to respond. Walk away and say "play ball". You have the power. Use it.

Just had an ump last week call the "game over" about 35 minutes in. Coach called him stupid. Ump threw him out. AC comes out and ask "why did you throw him out". Ump said "because he called me stupid." AC says "that's because you are stupid." Game over. Ump walked off the field.
Best part of the story is the team still had another game on the same field and guess who was the ump. Ump had no problems that game.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
1. There are more games, specially weekends because there is now 6u TB. LOL
2. Too many, but we need them.
3. Not enough.

Tip to umps:
Be assertive. As soon as the chirping starts, immediately stop the game call the HC over and tell him if the chirping (from coach or parents) doesn't come to a complete stop NOW you are getting thrown out. Period. Don't give him a chance to respond. Walk away and say "play ball". You have the power. Use it.

Just had an ump last week call the "game over" about 35 minutes in. Coach called him stupid. Ump threw him out. AC comes out and ask "why did you throw him out". Ump said "because he called me stupid." AC says "that's because you are stupid." Game over. Ump walked off the field.
Best part of the story is the team still had another game on the same field and guess who was the ump. Ump had no problems that game.

6u travel ball. I assume these are showcase tournaments right? ;)
 
Aug 13, 2013
344
28
Sayville
Anthony you commented as though you were saying I thought it was okay to berate people and I never did said that.
Did you get the point i made yet ?

Going out on a limb here...Of course you recognize people in other jobs get the brunt of peoples 'stuff' also.

Simply saying umpires are not exclusive to being berated or taking on unnecessary added crap from the public.

Like other employees in society have to deal with also.
There are a heck of a lot more employees in other job categories that take a bunch of crap far more other jobs than just umpires. it happens in workplaces all the time it's not exclusive to umpires.
and Im saying thats why no one wants to umpire. Give up a day to get berated by wacko parents and/or coaches? No thank you
 

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