NFL will "proceed immediately" with hiring and training replacement officials

[DaBruinz]

Aren't they making 150K-200K already? Despite what some would say, this really IS their full time job. What else do you call something that provides 99% of your net income? What would we have them do during the off-season anyway? Watch training videos? Engage in health & nutrition regimens? Most refs are just messing around with parenting, PTA meetings, football camps, and start-up businesses until the season starts. A "full-time" designation would do little to improve the on field quality. All it would do is remove the "real cause" everyone spouts for their teams woes season after season. Refs are humans. Humans make mistakes. You get some calls, you don't some calls. They really DO even out over a few seasons. Just live with it, move on.

Pdangle - Sorry, but you really don't know a damn thing about the refs. Most of them are not doing anything of the sort. Most of the referees are successful businessmen and several of them are lawyers who make quite a bit of money. Your attempt to make them into some kind of "Weekend Warrior" is pretty pathetic.

The reason that people want them to become full-time is so that they can be held to stricter standards regarding their physical fitness, including eye-sight. Not only that, it's so they can review film on a regular basis so they can actually see what they missed. Just like the NFL players do..So they can improve. What you clearly have no concept of is that the quality of the referees has gone down significantly over the past decade and this was on display for everyone to see during the Steelers/Seahawks SB. Hell, that whole series of play-offs was marred by numerous bad calls in just about every game. And I am not talking about minor things. I am talking about MAJOR, game changing calls..

 

[MoLewisrocks]

A bleacher report article from 4 years ago said that he average NFL official was at that time paid $27,000 per year, a far contrast to the $128,000 an NBA official received at the time.

Granted, the NBA plays far more games than the NFL, and the NFL official works less, but this disparity is rather large.

NHL officials, on average, earned $139,000 annually in 2008; Major League Baseball officials, on average, earned $141,000 annually in 2008.


The NFL Needs Full-Time Officials | Bleacher Report

Many fans would say any amount an NFL referee makes is too much, especially after calls go against their team. The refs would argue that they don't make nearly enough for such a thankless job. On any given Sunday, either side could be right. You may remember the bitter pay dispute between the NFL and the referee's union back in 2001 when the zebras went on strike. The NFL hired 112 temporary officials, some of whom had worked the most competitive American college football conferences. They were paid $8,000 for a guaranteed four weeks. Up to that time, the then-striking officials were earning from $24,825 to $69,990 per season, depending on experience.
What do they earn now? A knowledgeable (and hopefully trustworthy) acquaintance states that NFL referees currently earn between $42,295 and $120,998 per season. That might not sound like much, but remember, the NFL season is only 16 games.

How do those figures compare with the salaries of refs in other sports? According to AskMen.com, Major League baseball umpires earn anywhere from $100,000 to $280,000 per season, plus they get a generous expense account. NHL officials make even more -- from $115,000 to $220,000 per season, based on experience. Probably because they have to know how to skate backwards and stay out of the way of swinging hockey sticks.

Officials in other sports can't really have another full time job. Whereas most NFL referees do, be it as CEO's or private small business owners or Attorney's or Insurance Agents - and they make more at their real job than they do persuing what is basically an avocation. That is why they don't want to be full timers. They basically work 2 days a week including travel time for up to 26 weeks including some instructional work at camps and officiating pre season tilts.

How much does a nfl referee make

 

[Deus Irae]

Yuck.

Just pay them enough already, and more than in the past so that being a referee can be a full-time job.

People hate to admit it, but quality officials are majorly important to the game, and they would be better at their job if it were not a side profession for them.

I am not looking forward to having replacement referees.

There's no need for being an NFL official to be a full time requirement.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Pdangle - Sorry, but you really don't know a damn thing about the refs. Most of them are not doing anything of the sort. Most of the referees are successful businessmen and several of them are lawyers who make quite a bit of money. Your attempt to make them into some kind of "Weekend Warrior" is pretty pathetic.

The reason that people want them to become full-time is so that they can be held to stricter standards regarding their physical fitness, including eye-sight. Not only that, it's so they can review film on a regular basis so they can actually see what they missed. Just like the NFL players do..So they can improve. What you clearly have no concept of is that the quality of the referees has gone down significantly over the past decade and this was on display for everyone to see during the Steelers/Seahawks SB. Hell, that whole series of play-offs was marred by numerous bad calls in just about every game. And I am not talking about minor things. I am talking about MAJOR, game changing calls..

Problem is you have just as much of that if not more with the leagues employing full time officials... And that tends at times to create a situation like the NBA is facing where fans feel that the leauge truly is effecting the outcome of games based on pre determined league driven goals (promoting elite talent and more marketable teams). It also makes it harder for a league to discipline or direct or even get rid of incompetent union employees making six figure salaries out of the gate. You often saw that in the past (don't know these days since I no longer follow the sport) with arrogant umpires calling games as they saw fit.

 

[blackglass3]

I do think the refs last year adopted more of a "Let the players decide the game" attitude once the playoffs started. I wish they could have this attitude all season long.

 

[ausbacker]

There's no need for being an NFL official to be a full time requirement.

Why not? Anything that can potentially improve the quality of game should be explored.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

If what the league is contending is true, wow, what a bunch of dummies another union is leading around by the nose... Does De have a younger brother??

Sounds like they have been making more coin than most folks thought and were in line to make even more.

Our seven-year proposal (through 2018) offered healthy annual compensation increases of between 5 and 11 percent. For example, in 2011 a first-year official made an average of $78,000. Under our proposal, he would make more than $165,000 by the end of the new agreement. An official who was in his fifth year in 2011, and earned an average of $115,000 last year, would earn more than $183,000 in 2018 under our proposal. And an official in his 10th year, who earned an average $139,00 last year, would earn more than $200,000 by the end of our proposal. Officials that qualify for post-season games, or are referees, would earn substantially more.

We also offered to set up a defined contribution retirement arrangement under which each official would receive annual contributions starting at $16,500 and increasing to almost $23,000, plus a wide range of investment opportunities. We offered expanded reimbursement for medical insurance costs, and other new and increased compensation, including agreeing to the union’s demand that we pay its members $300 to get on one conference call with the commissioner at the start of the season.

League’s response to NFLRA’s contentions | ProFootballTalk

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Why not? Anything that can potentially improve the quality of game should be explored.

But the question remains, can it? It hasn't in the NBA or MLB. Although I think the added burden of skating backwards makes it a must have for the NHL...

 

[Pujo]

Then I look forward to their spokesman explaining why they don't have to honor any ref picket lines.

Because they're not in the same union. Sometimes unions have sympathy strikes with other unions, other times they don't.

 

[Deus Irae]

Why not? Anything that can potentially improve the quality of game should be explored.

Because an official calls fewer than 20 games a season. You don't need to have this become a full time job for 20 days a year.

As an aside, here's an article on the officiating....

For NFL officials, scrutiny begins long before kickoff - USATODAY.com

 

[ausbacker]

But the question remains, can it? It hasn't in the NBA or MLB. Although I think the added burden of skating backwards makes it a must have for the NHL...

I'm not taking the position that it will improve the NFL, I'm taking the position that it may improve the NFL. Discounting it as an option because of the rah rah affect without people offering proven commentary as to why it can't and won't work isn't reliable given it's not known.

Because an official calls fewer than 20 games a season. You don't need to have this become a full time job for 20 days a year.

As an aside, here's an article on the officiating....

For NFL officials, scrutiny begins long before kickoff - USATODAY.com

Deep sea fisherman who hunt seasonal produce have a short period to ply their trade. I don't see that as an issue.

 

[NEGoldenAge]

There's no need for being an NFL official to be a full time requirement.

Sure... there's not a need to make a better product. That said, I'm not the only fan who's sick of poor officiating tarnishing the game.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I'm not taking the position that it will improve the NFL, I'm taking the position that it may improve the NFL. Discounting it as an option because of the rah rah affect without people offering proven commentary as to why it can't and won't work isn't reliable given it's not known.


Deep sea fisherman who hunt seasonal produce have a short period to ply their trade. I don't see that as an issue.

:wha: :idontgetit: Do you think those deep sea fishermen spend their off season studying charts and currents and polishing the decks as opposed working other seasonal jobs (or drinking away their hard earned limited seasonal incomes) and that somehow correlates to full time refs?

Gene Steratore who is one of the best of the new generation of referees also refs NCAA Divl. 1 Basketball (which he believes helps keeps him in shape shape mentally and physically) as well as running a private famiily business with his brother Tony who is also an NFL official. He made the call on the Calvin Johnson non catch which most fans decry...only the rules back him up. These guys are adjudicating complex rules fans don't often grasp or agree with and they are doing it often in split seconds. There will always be human error. There is all that and perhaps more than that at play in other leagues with full time refs. I don't think refs tarnish games in this league. The NBA is another matter... What those refs do to supplement their FT income is often a matter of conjecture...

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

NBA refs situation is why I gave up following my Celts.

I for one will accept $200K/year for working a few weekends. Where do I sign?

 

[Deus Irae]

Sure... there's not a need to make a better product. That said, I'm not the only fan who's sick of poor officiating tarnishing the game.

You're making an argument based upon an unproven assumption, which is that full-time NFL officials would make for a better product. How's that working out in the NBA?

 

[DaBruinz]

But the question remains, can it? It hasn't in the NBA or MLB. Although I think the added burden of skating backwards makes it a must have for the NHL...

Most people agree that having the 4th official on the ice in the NHL has improved the game. Having the grading system for officials that the NHL does has also improved the game. I also believe that the NHL has enough crews that they only do about 60 games a year so that the crews have some down time and have time to review previous film and film from other officials to see what they are doing right and wrong.

The NFL doesn't have to go to full-time refs, but it could and should have each game reviewed for egregious calls/missed calls with that report going back to the officiating crew. Then each member of the crew would be required to review the game tape and understand the report they got. At the end of the season, each person on each crew is then evaluated based on each games reports as well as physical and mental requirements.

 

[PlainOldEd]

Not sure I agree with the assumption Scab Ref = Bad Ref.

There are a very limited number of NFL Ref jobs and I would think there are more than enough qualified seasoned refs to replace them and I would even think that some are better just haven't got their chance yet.

I will admit I dont know all that much about the process of becoming a ref and the process to keeping your job at the NFL level (can you lose your job for not grading out as a good ref? I know they grade refs to determine who gets playoff and SB gigs but do they use this to bring you back or not?).

If they don't they should.

 

[PlainOldEd]

NBA refs situation is why I gave up following my Celts.

I for one will accept $200K/year for working a few weekends. Where do I sign?

But you'd have to give up being a Pats fan.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Most people agree that having the 4th official on the ice in the NHL has improved the game. Having the grading system for officials that the NHL does has also improved the game. I also believe that the NHL has enough crews that they only do about 60 games a year so that the crews have some down time and have time to review previous film and film from other officials to see what they are doing right and wrong.

The NFL doesn't have to go to full-time refs, but it could and should have each game reviewed for egregious calls/missed calls with that report going back to the officiating crew. Then each member of the crew would be required to review the game tape and understand the report they got. At the end of the season, each person on each crew is then evaluated based on each games reports as well as physical and mental requirements.

I believe they do this. Crews are graded including individually throughout the season. That is how they determine who gets the playoff slots that pay over and above salary. And at least some refs (crew chiefs) do their own internal reviews, as the Hoculi piece detailed.

 

[Deus Irae]

Most people agree that having the 4th official on the ice in the NHL has improved the game. Having the grading system for officials that the NHL does has also improved the game. I also believe that the NHL has enough crews that they only do about 60 games a year so that the crews have some down time and have time to review previous film and film from other officials to see what they are doing right and wrong.

The NFL doesn't have to go to full-time refs, but it could and should have each game reviewed for egregious calls/missed calls with that report going back to the officiating crew. Then each member of the crew would be required to review the game tape and understand the report they got. At the end of the season, each person on each crew is then evaluated based on each games reports as well as physical and mental requirements.

Officiating director Mike Pereira and his staff grade every official on every play based on observations gleaned from multiple angles.

NFL referees face layers of scrutiny - NFL - ESPN

From the Hochuli screw up in that Chargers game:

Officials are held accountable for their calls. They are graded on every play of every game," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Monday. "Ed has been an outstanding official for many years, but he will be marked down for this call. Under our evaluation system, an official's grades impact his status for potentially working the playoffs and ultimately whether or not he is retained."

NFL will lower Ed Hochuli's grade after blown call - USATODAY.com