Time heals all wounds – which is why I tried to give it some time before I wrote this post. I think it has worked to some extent because the anger and frustration I felt on the 23rd has mostly subsided. It does not, however, change the way I feel about refs in general. I think the USL has a vested interest in vetting and increasing the standard of refs who participate in their games, but I think there is a need for systematic change if the issue of quality is going to be addressed.

The Story so Far

The USL has faced backlash and criticism in the past for the quality and ability of the refs who officiate the games. This is probably part of the reason why they have begun addressing the issues this season. Last year there were likely many who saw the bad officiating as having a sinister motive and that can somewhat account for the USL’s partnership with SportsRadar – a firm that watches games (including players, refs, and the staff of teams) for fraud or cheating.

While I think that is a step in the right direction and will improve the integrity of the league as a whole, I don’t think it will address the problem of subpar officiating. You don’t have to be trying to cheat or fix matches to make bad calls, and part of the responsibility for those bad calls falls on the USL. Based on whats explained in this SocTakes article it seems like the USL is currently relying on a lower standard of ref, just barely above the level of a ref who is officiating D3 and D4 games.

Part of what goes along with using a lower standard is a financial aspect. The USL does not have to pay as much for a ref who is at grade 6 vs. grade 5 or 4 – but the difference in pay is not significant enough to make up for the errors that seem to happen regularly. With the league growing and expanding, and new markets opening up to professional teams – there needs to be significant expansion and investment into the officiating that happens in the USL.

The Price of Good Refs

Like I said before currently, the USL is utilizing lower level refs grade 5/6 but we should look to the MLS to see what we need in terms of “professional” officiating. The MLS and national teams generally use refs that are grade 4 or above, and they are preparing those refs for higher levels of officiating.

The lowest paid center refs in the MLS make $565.00 per game, about $50-$100 more than the highest paid center refs in the USL, the best paid MLS center refs make closer to $900.00 per game. The sad reality is that refs in the US are paid abysmally for the level of officiating they are asked to undertake. Neither the MLS nor the USL pays refs what they are worth.

If we compare the salary of refs in the MLS/USL to those in other leagues, we see that the possible salary of $35k that a top tier center ref in the MLS makes is abysmally low when compared with leagues that are anywhere near its revenue (Championship for instance). Professional refs in most other American sports are making upwards of 100,000 dollars a year, and even in a lower league like the Championship refs make a base salary around 70,000 dollars a year (34,000 pounds) and then get paid another 1,200 dollars per game on top of the base salary – that is in a league that has lower revenue than the MLS.

The truth is that the USL has a low revenue stream right now, the league is profitable but just barely. Teams are already paying what they think they can for refs, but if the league stepped in, we could raise the rates we pay refs. Right now we pay very close to the same per game fee as amateur leagues. If the MLS sets the standard, I think the USL would have to follow. The first step to better officiating is going to be raising standards and raising pay.

The Horizon

The US will host the World Cup in 2026 – along with Mexico and Canada, but the question remains if we as a federation are producing refs that are up to the level required for the world cup. While FIFA select refs from all over the world, it speaks to the quality of our federation and our position in CONCACAF if we are able to provide quality refs for FIFA to select. Having more refs that are higher grades will not only open up the possibility of world cup call ups but also raise the overall standard in the US.

If we want a higher standard for the MLS and USL as a whole, then work needs to be done within the entire federation. The USL needs to look into investing more into the refs we are using, and providing more training and better pay – which means that more capable people develop as refs.

Why it Matters

There may be those in the USL who say that we can’t afford to train our refs or pay them better, but we can’t afford not to. The USL is a league that is relying on butts in the seats. Bad calls can disrupt the experience of people who attend home games. How many people go to their home opener and then decide not to go to subsequent games based on results that are disrupted by bad calls from officials? The numbers may not be large, but I think overall the quality of officiating can affect the bottom line of many clubs, and that should be concerning to fans, owners, and the USL hierarchy.

While the USL doesn’t have a lot of control over who PRO selects to officiate games, it would be in the league’s best interest to see how they can provide financial and organizational support to help develop referees within PRO. These are questions the league needs to be asking if they are to move forward as an organization.

Growth as a league means growth in the quality of officiating. Until we find a solution our league will be hampered by bad officiating and altered results. For a professional league like the USL – there needs to be some accountability for the league to step up their work in developing match officials in the same way they are developing the league as a whole.