Do Umpires need to be paid more?

[FlowersByIrene]

I was at the game tonight (Semi Final 2; Freo v Port) and witnessed the umpires booed and even a drink thrown at them as they walked off the ground tonight.

Now I know there were a few dubious decisions or lack there of that freo fans should be upset with. Mainly;
Consistently no free kick given to Pavlich who was held all night
Pedantically forcing Gray to take another shot after he'd missed the first
And general missed holding the balls etc

But it wasnt the worst umpiring display, and in fact was probably an okay umpired game (from my seat anyway)

And yet here they are getting ridiculously booed.
During the Gray re-kick you could see the discomfort on the umpires face as the crowd booed him from about 3 metres away.

An umpire is a very thankless job (ive been one myself) and I feel they need to be paid more.

Higher pay and more hours would also mean better standard of umpires and more accountability so it would be a positive on both sides.

Thoughts?

 

[kickazz]

Dunno how paying more would fix the problems you listed.

I think they can deal with the booing, it will happen no matter how well you umpire because of the nature of the game and crowds.

Spitting on or throwing things - yeah none of that js cool, people doing it should be treated te same as pitch invaders and get banned.

 

[Pessimistic]

How much per game do you think they get paid OP ?

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

They do sometimes have two jobs at once, if you know what I mean.

 

[Freo Big Fella]

They're not volunteers umpiring the local Under 15s - if they * up in front of a huge crowd, they can deal with the consequences.

 

[bombersfan4000]

They're not volunteers umpiring the local Under 15s - if they **** up in front of a huge crowd, they can deal with the consequences.

its like the morons try and become bigger than the game. its like they just go out there to ruin it.

the need to get rid of the ex richmond idiots that they seem to keep employing to run the umpiring faction, improve their performance & make them professional

 

[Pessimistic]

A few years ago they were each getting over a grand a game. It will be much more now

We deserve more in return

 

[Midnite65]

I was at the game tonight (Semi Final 2; Freo v Port) and witnessed the umpires booed and even a drink thrown at them as they walked off the ground tonight.

Now I know there were a few dubious decisions or lack there of that freo fans should be upset with. Mainly;
Consistently no free kick given to Pavlich who was held all night
Pedantically forcing Gray to take another shot after he'd missed the first
And general missed holding the balls etc

But it wasnt the worst umpiring display, and in fact was probably an okay umpired game (from my seat anyway)

And yet here they are getting ridiculously booed.
During the Gray re-kick you could see the discomfort on the umpires face as the crowd booed him from about 3 metres away.

An umpire is a very thankless job (ive been one myself) and I feel they need to be paid more.

Higher pay and more hours would also mean better standard of umpires and more accountability so it would be a positive on both sides.

Thoughts?

How many free kicks did Freo get in their forward 50 compared to Port. We got zero. Umpires don't need to get paid more, they should be paid for performance and if they don't perform should be docked significantly. They are happy when they are setting someone on a mark to call play on and let them go but yet for Robbie Gray last night decided to give him another shot after he missed. Look at all the mistakes last week on the sliding rule, they reported someone when he should have got the free kick.

 

[hoss]

I think they need to be held more accountable for poor performance, poor judgement and generally not understanding the rules of the game. Several of them are overpaid, lazy, uneducated and egotistical.

 

[rippersnipper]

The new pay rise will mean boundary & goal umps earn about 60k a year whilst field umps will earn up to and maybe over 150k

 

[rippersnipper]

The new pay rise will mean boundary & goal umps earn about 60k a year whilst field umps will earn up to and maybe over 150k

 

[Vindicater]

Yes they need to be paid more.

There also needs to be a larger roster of Umpires to draw from.

With a larger roster we can afford to be be much more stringent on umpires who have bad games, or a row of bad games. Sit them down.

It needs to become more professional which at the moment it is not.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

I think they need to be held more accountable for poor performance, poor judgement and generally not understanding the rules of the game. Several of them are overpaid, lazy, uneducated and egotistical.

Yep, I'm all for them being paid more, a lot more so long as:
1. Their performances improve directly proportional to their pay rise
2. They become more accountable and open to public criticism from clubs.
3. A panel independent to the umpires board have the power to suspend or admonish umpires for sub-standard performances or inappropriate behavior.

For the amount of money involved in footy these days, the game demands better umpiring. It's no longer good enough to have these guys immune to criticism. By criticism, I'm not talking about Mick Malthouse blowing off about one free kick late in the game at a presser, I'm talking about overall and constructive criticism.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

They do sometimes have two jobs at once, if you know what I mean.

Nobody's putting a gun against their heads.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

An umpire is a very thankless job

Thankless? I don't think so.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Yep, I'm all for them being paid more, a lot more so long as:
1. Their performances improve directly proportional to their pay rise
2. They become more accountable and open to public criticism from clubs.
3. A panel independent to the umpires board have the power to suspend or admonish umpires for sub-standard performances or inappropriate behavior.

For the amount of money involved in footy these days, the game demands better umpiring. It's no longer good enough to have these guys immune to criticism. By criticism, I'm not talking about Mick Malthouse blowing off about one free kick late in the game at a presser, I'm talking about overall and constructive criticism.

That's what i'm thinking

Paying them more means that;
More and better candidates will apply for the job - which means more comeptition, which means better umpiring.
With more candidates you can drop umpires if they fail to perform, which causes competition which makes for better umpiring.
Paying them more means they can spend the whole week, reviewing decisions, going over game footage, umpiring practice matches, rather than working a second job, which will make them better umpires.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Should be full time, 250k a year, performance based job

We want a professionally umpired game, yet have ammo umps

 

[CaptainChardonnay]

A few years ago they were each getting over a grand a game. It will be much more now

We deserve more in return

Agreed. They should be paid as well as the best player on the field.

 

[CaptainChardonnay]

The new pay rise will mean boundary & goal umps earn about 60k a year whilst field umps will earn up to and maybe over 150k

So about what a 1st and 3rd year player gets? Rubbish money.

Umpires shoudl be getting equivalent to what the players get. end of story. Best umpires should be able to command big bucks.

 

[Pessimistic]

So about what a 1st and 3rd year player gets? Rubbish money.

Umpires shoudl be getting equivalent to what the players get. end of story. Best umpires should be able to command big bucks.

Not sure if serious. And what would they gain from spending more time in each others company ?

Even more twisted personalities is my guess

The only thing should be a good shrink for the umpires. Thats where the problem lies imo

I cant believe everyone thinks paying them more will improve things, they get a lot more than a few years ago, and what has improved ?

What do they do over summer ? Not sure if you could ban them from their other jobs

 

[JoseMourinho]

Regarding Freo Fans and the umpires. It is probably in reaction due to previous games (namely Geelong, Sydney and Carlton games) and just poor decisions being made that change the game and unfortunately the team that is influenced detrimentally is Fremantle.

It is inexcusable to throw stuff or spit but it is ok to vent and express the frustrations about it.

We didn't lose that game because of the umpires. Most freo fans note this in their autospy thread.

I wasn't very happy about some decisions but we didn't lose because of it. Pav gets held all the time instead he just fights to create space for Ballaz and Walters or tries to take a one hander. Thanks for noticing that Pav always gets held in the contest and it is never picked up.

The irony of what Pav does is that he once got pinged in the Sydney v Freo Game (H&A Season) for shepherding from the contest. I expected him to explode at the umpire about being held all the time and they never call it. He kept his cool so he must have quite the discipline.

Umpires should be paid more IMO.

 

[CaptainChardonnay]

Not sure if serious. And what would they gain from spending more time in each others company ?

Even more twisted personalities is my guess

The only thing should be a good shrink for the umpires. Thats where the problem lies imo

I cant believe everyone thinks paying them more will improve things, they get a lot more than a few years ago, and what has improved ?

What do they do over summer ? Not sure if you could ban them from their other jobs

They shouldn't have other jobs. THIS, should be their job.

 

[Pessimistic]

I dont know. They dont need to train that much, they dont need to do much at all in the summer. You might end up with a lower level of calibre. Having another pursuit - many have small businesses. - might make them more rounded individuals than if a bunch of them were pissing in each others pockets all week

I think the premise is quite naive really, youd spend a lot more for no improvement or even worse

 

[pazza]

Unless they are to be paid the same as Gary Ablett....

I was umpiring at Visy Park yesterday which during the week is the Victorian and main training base for the umpires.

Some of the statistics on the noticeboard in there impressed me...such as under 10 minutes for 3 kilometres in one case.

 

[CaptainChardonnay]

I dont know. They dont need to train that much, they dont need to do much at all in the summer. You might end up with a lower level of calibre. Having another pursuit - many have small businesses. - might make them more rounded individuals than if a bunch of them were pissing in each others pockets all week

I think the premise is quite naive really, youd spend a lot more for no improvement or even worse

You're right. Afl went backwards when players became professional athletes.