FEES FOR VARSITY FOOTBALL

[NEWOFFICIAL]

Interested in knowing what each state pays for varsity football . Florida pays $65, often there is a little extra in the form of travel . What does your state association pay ?

[GA Umpire]

See this kink.

https://www.ghsa.net/sites/default/files/documents/officials/Appendix_F18-19.pdf

[GA Umpire]

If that one does not work, try this one.

https://www.ghsa.net/game-fee-chart

[scrounge]

We don't really have a set statewide rate in OH, except for playoffs. Each conference/metro area negotiates (read: dictates) that separately. And central OH is notoriously the lowest of the 3 large metro areas, especially in the non-revenue sports.

For football, we are at $68 for varsity, $47 for JV, $42 for freshmen/MS. No travel fee except for playoffs, if going over 50 miles.

[bama_stripes]

We are finally getting a significant raise next year!

FOOTBALL
Varsity (5 person crew) - $110/official
Varsity (7 person crew) - $100/official
Jr. Varsity - $65/official
Jr. High - $55/official
Clock (Game and Play Clock) Operator Varsity - $55/official
Clock Operator Jr. Varsity - $40/official
Clock Operator Jr. High - $35/official
Chain Crew - $30/official
Playoffs 1st Round (5 person crew) - $125/official, Alternate Clip - $80, ECO - $60
Playoffs 1st Round (7 person crew) - $115/official, Alternate Clip - $80, ECO - $60
Playoffs 2nd Round (7 person crew) - $125/official, Alternate Clip - $90, ECO - $60
Playoffs Quarter-Finals (7 person crew) - $130/official, Alternate Clip - $100, ECO - $60
Playoffs Semi-Finals (7 person crew) - $135/official, Alternate Clip - $110, ECO - $60
State Finals (7 person crew) - $150/official, Alternates and ECO - $80
Playoffs Chain Crew if Officials - $40/official

TRAVEL
Total miles are based on one way (not round trip) from each individual’s address listed in Arbiter. Arbiter lists the total miles from the officials address to the address of the competition site.
0-60 miles – No additional travel compensation
61-120 miles - $25 travel for each official
121-180 miles - $50 travel for each official
181 and above - $75 travel for each official

[Magician]

We are finally getting a significant raise next year!

FOOTBALL
Varsity (5 person crew) - $110/official
Varsity (7 person crew) - $100/official
Jr. Varsity - $65/official
Jr. High - $55/official
Clock (Game and Play Clock) Operator Varsity - $55/official
Clock Operator Jr. Varsity - $40/official
Clock Operator Jr. High - $35/official
Chain Crew - $30/official
Playoffs 1st Round (5 person crew) - $125/official, Alternate Clip - $80, ECO - $60
Playoffs 1st Round (7 person crew) - $115/official, Alternate Clip - $80, ECO - $60
Playoffs 2nd Round (7 person crew) - $125/official, Alternate Clip - $90, ECO - $60
Playoffs Quarter-Finals (7 person crew) - $130/official, Alternate Clip - $100, ECO - $60
Playoffs Semi-Finals (7 person crew) - $135/official, Alternate Clip - $110, ECO - $60
State Finals (7 person crew) - $150/official, Alternates and ECO - $80
Playoffs Chain Crew if Officials - $40/official

TRAVEL
Total miles are based on one way (not round trip) from each individual’s address listed in Arbiter. Arbiter lists the total miles from the officials address to the address of the competition site.
0-60 miles – No additional travel compensation
61-120 miles - $25 travel for each official
121-180 miles - $50 travel for each official
181 and above - $75 travel for each official

Must be nice to have enough officials to also cover the clock and chain crew. Our are always parents or teachers from the home school. Occasionally you'll have a retired or former official but that's rare.

[bossman72]

PA is based on each individual school.  Each school pays what they want to pay.

[bama_stripes]

Must be nice to have enough officials to also cover the clock and chain crew. Our are always parents or teachers from the home school. Occasionally you'll have a retired or former official but that's rare.

In my section of the state, we never have officials on the chains for regular season games.  They are required for playoffs.  ECOs must be registered officials, but schools are allowed to provide their own PCO if he/she is certified by the state. Very few do so.

[Ralph Damren]

In Maine....

 $ 76.60 varsity game + $ 0.44/mile for first 125 miles, $ 0.22/mile thereafter.
   80% for clock operator

Post -season playoff : 125% game fee

State championship : 150% game fee - 7 officials
  4- man chain crew + asst. clock operator (all officials) $30.00 each.

IMHO, not bad for a hobby! I believe that Texas officials are still paid by share and would be interested in hearing from them.

[TampaSteve]

Last I heard, TX was paid as a %age of the gate.

[ElvisLives]

Not so much a "percentage" as it is based on a schedule, kinda like IRS taxes.  I attached a sample TASO invoice, which shows the fee "schedule" at the bottom of the page.

Some folks will brag about regularly getting $500 checks, but I think that is mostly brag.  But, I do know that some Championship games can get in that range.  I got $250 for a playoff game - not a championship game - at Texas Stadium (before they tore it down - around 1995).

To get to $500, the gate receipts would have to be something like $82,000.  Not at all unrealistic, if ticket prices are $10 each.  That's just 8200 people.  If tickets are $5, that's 16,400 people.  Many of us have worked regular season games with crowds in excess of 20,000 (Permian, Midland Lee come to mind), never mind playoff games.

Hmmm. Doing the math, I think we've been getting screwed.  Not surprised.

Robert

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[Ralph Damren]

Our average human (not counting 'skeeters & and real animal mascots) attendance at a regular season game ranges from 5-6000 (note I didn't say 5000-6000). I think I like our fixed-rate better!     

[dieter]

Here in the Chicago area I believe the person selling tickets in the ticket booth gets more than we do. We got a whole $1 raise for 2019 to $77 a varsity game. Game fees are set by a committee to keep things consistent throughout the area. Clock operators are provided by the school, so we deal with home cooking clock situations some times. No mileage at all during regular season, can't speak for the downstate guys that probably travel more than I do. But getting from the northern suburbs to a south suburb game can take me close to 2 hours sometimes on a Friday night.

[HLinNC]

NC just authorized an increase for varsity 5 man from $76 to $90.00 for next season.  No word yet on other levels.

[Magician]

We had a game one year where the host only had 4 of our 5 checks before the game. He said he would try to find the 5th check. At halftime he came in and said he found it with the checks for the security officers. When he opened the envelope he discovered the check was for twice what we were paid. He jokingly told our white hat he wouldn't be there the next week because he just learned the security people (off duty police officers) were paid twice what the officials were paid.

[bossman72]

We had a game one year where the host only had 4 of our 5 checks before the game. He said he would try to find the 5th check. At halftime he came in and said he found it with the checks for the security officers. When he opened the envelope he discovered the check was for twice what we were paid. He jokingly told our white hat he wouldn't be there the next week because he just learned the security people (off duty police officers) were paid twice what the officials were paid.

One time we had one of our official's checks written out for the check number in the corner, which was $1,047.  All of the other checks were the normal $85.  He ended up getting his check re-issued, but said later that year, he got a 1099 from the school with the original bad check + the $85 check.  Had to call and get it all cleared up.

[Ralph Damren]

WOW !!!!! Some of you guys get game checks at the game  ? We work for 19 schools and only 2 still do that. Most checks arrive via snail-mail in a week or two. PayPal, or whatever you hi-tech guys  call it, is still a decade or two from reaching the Maine woods. A "wrong check" story that I recall from my murky  past came to mind. Umping baseball then was $45 (today it's 66), the AD gave us our checks pre-game and we shoved them in our wallets. Later, at home I took out my check and noted it was only $35. Soon the other umpire phoned with the same problem  . The following morning the AD phoned and admitted that his assistant incorrectly made out our checks with softball rates of $35 and the softball umps got $45  . He said he had already talked to one of the softball umps and the response was : "TO BAD, WE DESERVE AS MUCH ".
I responded : "She probably right, she can keep my fee and I'll keep hers  " The AD then informed me that the "she" was a HE.

[dieter]

Illinois has just formed a partnership with Arbiter. An officials' fee increase for next year will include use of Arbiter for assignments by all assignment chairman paid for by the state. Currently each assignor or assignment group creates their own relationship with Arbiter and then charges officials to join their group. Depending on how many sports you work and how many assignors you work for, you may be a member of many many Arbiter groups and have to pay to join each one. Next year the state will pay for assignors Arbiter access (theoretically) removing the need for officials to have to pay to join each Arbiter group. I would also expect all game fees to eventually be paid through ArbiterPay. That has already started as the state pays all playoff officials through ArbiterPay and a few conferences have begun to pay all officials through ArbiterPay as well. Has some interesting tax implications.

[Grant - AR]

Arkansas has a minimum suggested pay scale.  I think almost all schools are paying more than this, but I'm sure some are still paying the minimum.

members.ahsaa.org/public/userfiles/AOA/AOA_SuggestedPayScale.pdf

[bossman72]

Has some interesting tax implications.

Yep, the $600 per school rule will not apply if you use ArbiterPay for all of your assignments.  If more than $600 goes through ArbiterPay for you (regardless of which school it comes from at any level), you get a 1099.

[riffraft]

Yep, the $600 per school rule will not apply if you use ArbiterPay for all of your assignments.  If more than $600 goes through ArbiterPay for you (regardless of which school it comes from at any level), you get a 1099.

Only an issue if you don't currently claim all your officiating money.

[GA Umpire]

Only an issue if you don't currently claim all your officiating money.

 

[CalhounLJ]

Only an issue if you don't currently claim all your officiating money.

And is not that big of a deal if you keep your receipts and a record of your travel. My expenses and travel always offset my wages.

[bctgp]

I know Texas does not use NFHSA rules but if you want to know what public schools pay for Varsity and sub-varsity in Texas check out the following link:

https://www.uiltexas.org/athletics/officials-fee-schedule

In summary, Varsity pay per officials is paid a based on the total amount taken in at the gate including a provision for season ticket holders. And there is a minimum amount paid for those games where there is little to no gate received. Travel pay is included based on the distance to the Stadium from a predefined center-point for the local chapter working those games as defined by the State governing entity (UIL). Not perfect but there is no one-size-fits-all method in Texas anyway. I have heard of cases in some of the large 6A level Varsity championships where crews of 7-officials have received over $1,000 per game. Albeit these are limited cases.

[NEWOFFICIAL]

This is very interesting . It would be useful to know what other states pay as well. It appears as though many states are now paying $100 or more for varsity football while other states are paying significantly less in the $60s and $70s. If your state has not responded on this thread please post your states fees.