Umpire Influencers

[WIUMP]

Over the last few years, the algorithm has decided I need a steady diet of umpire influencers.

GoPros on masks. Meta glasses (had to Google those… I am, in fact, uncool). “Day in the life” content, mic’d up clips, etc.

Is there any real value here, or mostly content for content’s sake?

[The Man in Blue]

I don't do social media, so my answer is going to be (a) limited to my limited experience, and (b) subject to my bias about social media.

From what I have seen people post on forums (and typically Youtube is the only thing I will click on), it is garbage content.  

I question the rationale of somebody recording other people's minor children and posting it online for their "please validate my life with clicks" content.  That also calls into question organizations that allow umpires to do this.

[SeeingEyeDog]

I have yet to see an "umpire influencer" offer anything of value...

~Dawg

[BLWizzRanger]

50 minutes ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

I have yet to see an "umpire influencer" offer anything of value...

~Dawg

How about... 'how not to do it?' That has some value, don't it?

[SeeingEyeDog]

6 minutes ago, BLWizzRanger said:

How about... 'how not to do it?' That has some value, don't it?

Sure, if that's how it was presented but, I'm too short on time in this world to have to process someone taking themselves way too seriously AND giving bad information to then acknowledge that's how not to do it...

~Dawg

[BLWizzRanger]

Sorry, SED, I should have put a sarcasm label on my post.  We both know, as everyone has alluded, that these influencers are for the clicks and not for the instruction.

[grayhawk]

Is this a Facebook or Instagram thing? I'm not on Instagram and spend VERY little time on FB these days.

[WIUMP]

I see them on Instagram but I'm not on many other platforms for personal consumption.

[JSam21]

It really depends. A lot of them never meant to be "instructional". Some of them are and the bad part is, they are wrong a lot of the times. Others are just content. It is what it is. They aren't looking to advance. They aren't looking to get better. It has zero effect on my day to day life, so let them have it. 

I did come across one that happened to be local to me and they actually appeared open to advice. 

At the end of the day. Let them do what they do... they are mostly harmless.

 

[noumpere]

For umpiring and for everything else, I do NOT look at FaceCrook, SnapCrap, GangstaGram, Ticky-Tack or anything else.

[JSam21]

22 hours ago, noumpere said:

For umpiring and for everything else, I do NOT look at FaceCrook, SnapCrap, GangstaGram, Ticky-Tack or anything else.

If I may ask... Why? There is some good pieces of information out there. To you, what is the difference between those platforms and platforms like this? 

[concertman1971]

On 4/20/2026 at 8:40 AM, noumpere said:

For umpiring and for everything else, I do NOT look at FaceCrook, SnapCrap, GangstaGram, Ticky-Tack or anything else.

Tell me you are over the age of 55 without telling me...................

 

[The Man in Blue]

12 hours ago, JSam21 said:

If I may ask... Why? There is some good pieces of information out there. To you, what is the difference between those platforms and platforms like this? 

[Tksjewelry]

Like it or not, those platforms are the way people are communicating, connecting and “learning” and that’s not going to change. If you want a new generation of umpires that are educated in the field, I’d suggest some of the excellent knowledge, experience, and talent on these forums be apart of that future and join in the conversations on those platforms. Heck, if @MadMax were smart, he’d start a TikTok channel. He’s got the knowledge, the personality, and the looks to be a REAL benefit to the profession as an “influencer”. A good chunk of the information being shared by “umpires” on the gram or tt is just crap and, outside of myself, its rare to see anyone respond with actual rule book quotes. There is almost zero information on gear. Zero information on positioning. Heck, half of the umpires on those platforms don’t even use obstruction/interference correctly. I try to steer some of the young ones here but they don’t understand forums, to them they are all boomer Reddit trash. Believe it or not, umpires are generally well liked on those platforms (more tt than gram), coaches and parents do make very positive and supportive videos and comments about us, far more than you’d imagine.