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If 2020 hasn’t effect tournaments enough the new concern for all tournament directors moving into the 2021 travel season will definitely be finding umpires. Umpires are going to be at a Premium price and umpire will be able to negotiate higher pay.
Just look around at the current umpire on the diamonds. Most umpires are over the age of 55 and not many younger umpires are joining the umpire ranks. Most of the older umpires are unable or unwilling to do more them four to five games in a day.
After discussion with a few tournament directors that have already been put on notice of the upcoming shortage for 2021 season here what I’ve learned.
Due to so many tournaments running on the same weekend, one Sanctioned Body has informed tournament directors that they will only supply umpires for 16 diamonds a weekend. Causing some tournaments directors to look at changing weekends in order to have umpires.
The price of umpires is going up, it won’t be long before you see umpires asking and receiving $50 dollars a game. Fielding two umpires a game will cost $100 instead of the normal $70 to $80 dollars. Of course this increase in cost will be past along to teams added another $100+ on entry fee’s on a 4 game Guaranteed event.
Some tournament directors will be force to either taking less teams or reducing the amount of games guaranteed. One tournament director I talk with has already decided to reduce the amount of teams he’s taken for his events in 2021.
Another tournament director I’ve talk with is looking at only using one umpire a game and paying them $60 a game just to insure he has his tournament covered for the weekend.
Lots of interesting points and thing to think about in the future when in comes to umpires.
Just look around at the current umpire on the diamonds. Most umpires are over the age of 55 and not many younger umpires are joining the umpire ranks. Most of the older umpires are unable or unwilling to do more them four to five games in a day.
After discussion with a few tournament directors that have already been put on notice of the upcoming shortage for 2021 season here what I’ve learned.
Due to so many tournaments running on the same weekend, one Sanctioned Body has informed tournament directors that they will only supply umpires for 16 diamonds a weekend. Causing some tournaments directors to look at changing weekends in order to have umpires.
The price of umpires is going up, it won’t be long before you see umpires asking and receiving $50 dollars a game. Fielding two umpires a game will cost $100 instead of the normal $70 to $80 dollars. Of course this increase in cost will be past along to teams added another $100+ on entry fee’s on a 4 game Guaranteed event.
Some tournament directors will be force to either taking less teams or reducing the amount of games guaranteed. One tournament director I talk with has already decided to reduce the amount of teams he’s taken for his events in 2021.
Another tournament director I’ve talk with is looking at only using one umpire a game and paying them $60 a game just to insure he has his tournament covered for the weekend.
Lots of interesting points and thing to think about in the future when in comes to umpires.
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