Umpiring and the economy

[Umpire in Chief]

Do you feel the economic downturn will effect us as umpires?

I have read and heard about some public school districts and colleges cutting back their schedule to save money.

I'm wondering if it will trickle down to the rec ball. I can personally see the first teams being hit are the AAU/USSSA select teams because those are very expensive to play in.

Losing some of these select teams and their tournaments could definitely hurt. My area is scheduled to host an AAU 13/90 National Championship tourney so it will be interesting to see.

I don't think PONY or LL will be effected that much and could even benefit from some of the kids who are not able to play select ball any more making their way back into these organizations.

If my kid wanted to play I'd figure out a way for them to play at some level. The costs for PONY or LL is not that much over all. And then there is always parks and rec which is complete Hor:censored:it but would keep them involved. My county has a program for underprivileged kids to participate at no costs.

[scobes7]

I did have a motion in our town to up the pay $5 a piece for the umpires working the Junior little league games.....currently $35 for plate and $25 for bases. But, because of the amount of kids that needed assistance to play (league picked up the fees) I have tabled the motion until next year because of the leagues current revenue stream.

[mstaylor]

I don't think you see any change in HS or college for the most part. Their schedule will be the same but if you work in an area that uses three man, it may go to two man. As you sayLL and Pony may actually increase in numbers because AAu and USSSA may have less teams. It's an interesting question on the youth side.

[mstaylor]

I did have a motion in our town to up the pay $5 a piece for the umpires working the Junior little league games.....currently $35 for plate and $25 for bases. But, because of the amount of kids that needed assistance to play (league picked up the fees) I have tabled the motion until next year because of the leagues current revenue stream.

This is off the question but why do they pay less for bases? If you do them properly bases are just as hard and maybe harder than the plate. B)

[PeteBooth]

Do you feel the economic downturn will effect us as umpires?

Warren IMO, there might be an abundance of umpires in the up-coming months with many people out of work.

We had 14 new members join (pass the FED test) in my HS association this year. That's more than 3 times as many over the past 5 years. We used to get 3-6 members per year and this year 14 which tells you the economy is bad and people are looking for other means to make ends meet.

So far at least in my area the economy has not effected my schedule.

What you will see is more LOCAL Travel ball as opposed to the plethora of tournaments these kids used to play in. If there is a tournament it will most likely consist of teams within a reasonable driving distance so the parents do not have to foot a hotel bill plus food etc.

Pete Booth

[PeteBooth]

This is off the question but why do they pay less for bases? If you do them properly bases are just as hard and maybe harder than the plate. B)

Michael only conjecture but IMO, the reason for the discrepancy in pay is most likely due to the fact they can't get enough people to do the dish and unlike one's HS or College schedule in youth ball it doesn't "even out" hence the deviation.

The same guys/gals do the dish all the time and perhaps complained hence the increase in pay for the dish.

Pete Booth

[jjb]

Other than the schools trying to cut costs, (see the UIL issue in E. Texas), HS haven't really changed, as far as scheduling is concerned around here. The inumber of our Local League Select Teams have dropped, due to travel/registration fees. Our Rec. League is full, as the Select Teams have dropped down into the Rec League (I can see an issue developing here). We predict our larger Tournaments will become smaller and more local, (travel concerns).

As much as I hate it, I've been turning away a ton of unemployed people, who want to become umpires for the money. I'm hip-deep in umpires as it is.

[scobes7]

Michael only conjecture but IMO, the reason for the discrepancy in pay is most likely due to the fact they can't get enough people to do the dish and unlike one's HS or College schedule in youth ball it doesn't "even out" hence the deviation.

The same guys/gals do the dish all the time and perhaps complained hence the increase in pay for the dish.

Pete Booth

Yes, Also it's a mind set that has been in place a long time and I am trying to change it, but you still have people that think the bases are easier than the plate...because they have never done it before.

When it comes to us (experienced guys) working these games, we just split it $30 a piece and call it a day....we know what its like to work both sides.

Below junior level, Usually it's a very young kid coming in and they want the experience behind the plate and the kid on the bases...B) However,last year I had the young kids working their own games in the AAA division (only one umpire per game) since they did not want to pay for two umpires any longer in this division. I hope by exposing them to the plate that they will be able to handle the plate in years to come in the higher divisions and I will then be able to make a strong case for equal pay when two umpires work a game.

It is tough to change old time thinking.

Anyone else deal with this before...advise is always welcome.

Edited March 5, 2009 by scobes7

[scobes7]

Other than the schools trying to cut costs, (see the UIL issue in E. Texas), HS haven't really changed, as far as scheduling is concerned around here. The inumber of our Local League Select Teams have dropped, due to travel/registration fees. Our Rec. League is full, as the Select Teams have dropped down into the Rec League (I can see an issue developing here). We predict our larger Tournaments will become smaller and more local, (travel concerns).

As much as I hate it, I've been turning away a ton of unemployed people, who want to become umpires for the money. I'm hip-deep in umpires as it is.

I to have begun to get those calls....unemployed executive the other night who wanted cash to pay the house. but when I pressed him and said that I needed committed people, he said that this was just to keep him afloat and could not commit if he found a job.

[jjb]

I hear ya, Scobes: I'd like to help these people out, and I know they're feeding their families with the money, but I've got a lot of veteran umpires who I've got to take care of. It sucks, but what am I gonna do?

[scobes7]

I hear ya, Scobes: I'd like to help these people out, and I know they're feeding their families with the money, but I've got a lot of veteran umpires who I've got to take care of. It sucks, but what am I gonna do?

Boy do I understand that...it sucks...and you know the thing that stinks is, when I say that I could always use umpires for the girls softball side of things...they loose interest fast. I myself, don't care what I work.

[Dragon29]

I don't think you see any change in HS or college for the most part. Their schedule will be the same but if you work in an area that uses three man, it may go to two man. As you sayLL and Pony may actually increase in numbers because AAu and USSSA may have less teams. It's an interesting question on the youth side.

Not in our area - I'm UIC for our local LL; our player membership is down about 10% from last year and I'm hearing the same from other local LLs - they're not going to other youth ball leagues either (as sometimes happens) as a few of them have folded altogether.

Things are tough all over.

[Stan W.]

when times get tough I have always seen an influx in people wanting to umpire.........like Pete said we have had a large increase this year in people taking the HS exam...

Over the years, I've watched them come and go.....the thought of being an umpire and getting paid $50 a game often fades when they find out they have dues, uniforms and gear to buy..........and without a "passion for the calling" they often dont stay......I have seen guys come in while laid-off and work one summer then never come back when they get back to work....

a recent newbie in my association approached me about doing summer ball in my chapter....his first comment was he wants to schedule HS games and a PONY leagues game each night........this has been tried before and with mostly disasterous results... the first time the HS game runs long and with traffic delays the PONY league ends up short an umpire, the complaints pour in to the assignor...........who does not need more grief......

For the most part, a long term, dedicated umpire should not see any effect from this down turn. I do believe that there will be some more local games as the whole travel team situation may suffer a bit...

The cure or the preventitive cure for keeping your umpire career on track is the basics.......rules knowledge, professional appearance and good mechanics....if you are good you will get good games....

[Old Nr 24]

Just some comments in passing since I am no longer actively involved in umpiring. I can't really talk with any intelligence to how the economy is affecting the job, but I am thinking that maybe this idea of a shrinking amateur baseball program overall might not be a good thing in the long run.

The sport on the amateur level, and specifically the youth level over recent years has exploded, especially when compared to how it was say 30 years ago. In most areas of the country there are now hundreds of teams, dozens of organizations, travel teams, select teams, and on and on. In my mind this has been the primary factor in creating this "big fish in a little pond" situation and developing what I have come to call the "ignorant primadonna" in amateur sports. By that I mean the kid who has been told since he was 3 years old he's the second coming of Babe Ruth or as good as Nolan Ryan at his best, and the kid begins to believe it! It's been a sore spot with me since I first got into youth sports as a helper on my son's team.

Just possibly a shrinking of programs might put a larger number of better athletes on each team and get away from that "one super star" situation. You've all seen it, I'll bet -- one kid on a team whose job it is to win every game. Well, if he is generally successful he receives undue praise and usually becomes one of the primadonnas....a bad situation in my opinion. But let him fail a few times and see how quickly his ego is crushed, how total the collapse, and that is equally sad. Baseball, after all, is predicated on failure and how one handles that failure. If a player fails to fail now and then he has no clue how to handle it when it occurs (notice I said "when" and not "if") later in life....or in other aspects of life outside sports.

I am a baseball fanatic, and would love to see very kid participate at every level possible, but maybe a bit of a downturn will be a good thing. Maybe the sport on the amateur level will return to what it was years ago....fun for everyone concerned. Just my two cents worth.

[JohnT]

I agree that a bit of a downturn is a good thing from time to time. It keeps businesses and organizations honest, and filters out the bad ones. For example, Khoury League is the oldest youth baseball league in the country ( 2 years before LL). It used to be all over the country and now we are down to about 12 leagues in the metro east St. Louis. This is the same as weeding out businesses such as GM. Its a lovely thing we call in Econ 101 capitalism.

I highly doubt we will make it and I think another organization is in our not to distant future.

Edited March 11, 2009 by JohnT