Easy Plan for Big Ten to Address Crisis in Basketball Officiating

While in Indianapolis this weekend at the Big Ten tournament it was very clear to the media, fans and people from the individual schools that they have to do

While in Indianapolis this weekend at the Big Ten tournament it was very clear to the media, fans and people from the individual schools that they have to do something to address the quality of officiating. One member of the Big Ten delegation even said to me, “What can I say? All you have to do is watch any Big Ten game to judge the quality.” Now for obvious reasons I can’t tell you who it was, but that my friends is what even some inside the Big Ten wall think.

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I spent a lot of time talking to people about it and the solution is simple. Right now, the officiating is a free for all. Schools and conferences ask officials to ref games and they simply select a game that fits their schedule. Officials are paid $950 per game and they schedule as many games as they can in a week.Â

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One of the reasons that I think the officiating is so bad (and I stress this is only one) is because they are able to schedule as many games as they can. There is no doubt that when working seven days a week or even six with travel that fatigue has to set in. That however is only one issue.

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The games are big business and they have to hold officials accountable. Although the NCAA and even the Big Ten will sell you a mirage of accountability, there really isn’t. Here is a simple plan:

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1. The Big Ten needs to hire officials for $8,000 a week during the basketball season. They need only work a maximum of four games per week (except during the Big Ten tournament) and they will officiate all Big Ten conference games and home non-conference games. Each official and crew will be judged at the Big Ten office and by the coaches involved after each game. REALLY JUDGED!
2. Coaches and kids have to face the media after each game, but the officials are treated more precious than a bride before her wedding. Lift the veil. Make them accountable like the NFL does and face the media after each contest. Right now they can do what they want with essentially no accountability. The Big Ten will tell you that they are held accountable, but remember that they are the same people who told you the Big Ten Network was a good idea…for the fans.
3. Crews will constantly be evaluated and rewarded with premier games (including the Big Ten tournament) as their performance warrants. The NFL does this and it works great. Imagine that the two best crews officiate the BTT semi-finals and the one that was the better of the two moves on (just like the teams) to the finals.
4. Simply reward the officials with bonuses for the best jobs and highest scores earned at the end of the Big Ten season.

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Here is why this works:

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1. The schools and coaches will buy in because they will finally have a true system that holds officials accountable. They simply pay the Big Ten a set amount and the conference in turn pays the officials salaries.
2. The Big Ten will buy in because it allows them to have a set group of officials that they can monitor, and it also allows them to at least attempt to publicly address what has become a PR nightmare. My friend who works at the Big Ten that I referred to earlier told me, “You wouldn’t believe the calls and correspondence we get from fans about the officials. It isn’t one school either it is all of them. This season has been really bad.”
3. The officials who are worth anything will love it because under the current system the most they can earn is seven games a week at $950, or $6650. That, however, has them traveling all over the country. This way they make significantly more and they stay within the close midwestern proximity; not having to be in California one day, Florida the next day and ending with a day game in Minnesota on day three will be refreshing. Good officials won’t be intimidated by accountability and will welcome the raise and potential bonuses. They will get significant raises and that is before the bonuses, and they still will be available to ref the NCAA tournament and NIT.
4. Officials that don’t perform are put on probation or in some cases banished from officiating Big Ten games. Once again, those that perform get significant bonuses and premiere games as the NFL does it. Referees will not only get the private recognition based on the amount of compensation, but also the public recognition by officiating the big games. Thus, being recognized in public by their superior work.Â
5. This plan will allow the Big Ten to go out and get the premiere officials that work around the country who want the better pay and fewer hours. It is our glorious free market economy working at it’s best.

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There is a slight cost adjustment, but the Big Ten is awash in cash because of the monstrosity that basketball has become. In order to address a problem that is critical to the integrity of the game, the cost is minimal.

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The talk of the Big Ten tournament, as I traveled through the concourses and talked with fans, players, coaches and administrators from MANY schools, was the officiating. The NBA learned with a scandal last year that the integrity of the game is too valuable to play with. I can tell you that this crisis is just as critical as anything that happened in the NBA and the Big Ten can address it, and they must. Based upon their track record I would assume they will do nothing, but at least this plan is a start.Â

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I talked with fans, administrators, coaches (all from multiple schools) and my buddy from the Big Ten and they all liked it. It is simple, easy and can be implemented immediately.