READY TO COVID-19 & OFFICIATING RETURN?nmofficials.arbitersports.com/Groups/102895/Library/files... · 2020-06-11 · magazine that explores what officials are thinking about with

Referee Magazine

Return-to-Officiating

Survey Results

COVID-19 & OFFICIATING

READY TO RETURN?

F R O M T H E E D I T O R S O F R E F E R E E M A G A Z I N E

R E T U R N - T O - O F F I C I A T I N G S U R V E Y R E S U L T S

Although many officials are hesitant about returning to officiate

youth and high school sports amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a large

majority appear ready to return to the fields, courts and pitches across

the country, according to a survey conducted in late May by Referee

magazine.

With nearly 20,000 sports officials responding to the survey, 67.5

percent indicated that if youth and high school sports resumed today,

they would feel comfortable participating as an official from a health

and safety perspective.

Still, a sizable 32.5 percent indicated they would not be comfortable

officiating — a number that could have implications for staffing games as

sports resume, especially in areas or sports facing pre-existing shortages

of officials.

The survey results indicated the oldest officials — those 65 and older —

were more concerned than young officials. Approximately 40 percent of

those 65 and older indicated they were not comfortable participating as

an official compared to 19 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds and 33 percent

of 25-to-34-year-olds.

Looking regionally, those in the north-central part of the country (North

Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota and Kansas) were

the most ready to return — 77 percent indicating they were comfortable.

The northeast region (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts,

Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland and New York) reported the lowest

percentage of officials who are comfortable returning — 59 percent.

Referee magazine conducted the survey in late May to accompany a

feature story — Back to Work? — coming in the August issue of the

magazine that explores what officials are thinking about with a return

to sports amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey was modeled after

one conducted by United Travel Umpires of its members.

The Referee survey moved from sidebar-status to front stage when

nearly 20,000 officials weighed in from across the country. With such a

strong response on such a timely topic, we decided to release the results

ahead of the August issue.


In addition to asking officials about their comfort level

with returning to officiate, the survey probed into other

pandemic-related topics; here are some of the results:

• 64 percent of officials who responded said if they

had to travel to work a tournament, they would feel

comfortable staying in a hotel from a health and safety

perspective.

• 62 percent of officials felt it was reasonable for officials

to be asked to adopt different mechanics and positioning

to better adhere to social distancing guidelines.

• 43 percent said it was reasonable for an official to wear

a mask and gloves while performing his/her duties.

• Nearly 66 percent said if required, they would wear a

mask and gloves to officiate a game.

• Liability concerns were on many officials’ minds. On

a five-point sliding scale, with one being “not worried

at all” and five being “very worried,” the average of

responses fell at three.

• When asked about the single most important factor

dictating when they personally would feel comfortable

returning to the field/court/pitch as a sports official, the

following options were selected:

– Governing organization, school or municipality

taking steps to clean/sanitize a facility – 27

percent

– Widespread testing for COVID-19 – 19.5 percent

– Availability of a vaccine for COVID-19 – 23.5

percent

– None of the above; I will go out there now, none

of these factors are crucial for my return – 30

percent.

This survey, along with others like it, was made possible by the subscribers of Referee magazine, along with members of the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO).

Please consider subscribing to Referee magazine or joining NASO to get the most up-to-date information in the officiating industry delivered directly to you every month.

REFEREE.COM

NASO.ORG


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+

81%

67%72%

74%

68%

59% 59%

Based on the information available, if youth and high school sports resumed today, would you feel comfortable participating as an official from a health and safety perspective?

Answered YES basedon age group

QUESTION

01YES

NO 32.5%

67.5%

Answered YES basedon region

68%

77%

66%

72%

67%68%

68%

59%


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+

74%

67% 70% 71%

66%

53.954

46%

Based on the information available, if you had to travel to work a tournament, would you feel comfortable staying in a hotel from a health and safety perspective?

YES

NO 36%

64%

QUESTION

02



70%

73%

65%

69%

65%62%

67%

50%


From the perspective of your own safety, what is your level of concern regarding overseeing a game?

QUESTION

03

NOTCONCERNED

EXTREMELYCONCERNED

1 2 3 4 5

2

3

4

5

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+

2

3 3

2

3 3 3

Answers based on age group

1


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+

54%57%

53%57%

64%68% 67%

Do you feel it’s reasonable for officials to be asked to adopt different mechanics and positioning to better adhere to social distancing guidelines?

YES

NO 38%

62%

QUESTION

04



59%

58%

65%

57%

62%61%

61%

70%


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+

36% 37%33%

37%

44%

51%56%

Do you feel it’s reasonable for an official to wear a mask and gloves while performing his/her duties?

YESNO

57%43%

QUESTION

05



38 %

35%

48%

40%

43%41%

41%

52%


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+

If required, would you wear a mask and gloves to officiate a game?

YESNO

34%

66%

QUESTION

06

65% 62%

57%60%

67%

72%76%



61%

62%

72%

63%

64%65%

65%

72%


From a liability standpoint, what is your level of concern regarding overseeing a game where COVID-19 could be transmitted betweenparticipants?

QUESTION

07

NOTCONCERNED

EXTREMELYCONCERNED

1 2 3 4 5

2

3

4

5

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+

3 3 3 3 3 3 3

1



What is the single most important factor dictating when you personally feel comfortable returning to the field/court/pitch as a sports official?

23.5%

30%27%

19.5%

QUESTION

08Governing organization, school or municipality taking steps to clean/sanitize a facility

Availability of a vaccine for COVID-19

None of the above; I will go out there now, none of these factors are crucial for my return

Widespread testing for COVID-19

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65-74

75+

24.7%

24.6%

25.8%

26%

28%

28%

30%

17%

22.7%

18.3%

17.7%

19.5%

21%

21%

13.1%

18.8%

18%

18.7%

23.2%

31.5%

31.4%

45.2%

33.9%

37.9%

37.6%

29.3%

19.5%

17.6%



10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+

80%81% 82%

78%73%

67%65%

Do you feel players wearing masks could be a hindrance or danger to their ability to play the sport as they normally would, causing possible safety issues?

YES

NO 26%

74%

QUESTION

09



76%

77%

70%

75%

75%76%

75%

68%


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+

36%

45%

39% 39%44%

51%54%

From the perspective of personal safety, are you concerned about the ability to properly satisfy CDC social distancing guidelines in the environment of an officials’ locker room?

YESNO 56%

44%

QUESTION

10



41%

37%

45%

39%

45%45%

44%

52%


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255

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251

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494

1056

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832

555

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208

317

211

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174 73239

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420

75

85910

30

131

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750

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READY TO COVID-19 & OFFICIATING RETURN?nmofficials.arbitersports.com/Groups/102895/Library/files... · 2020-06-11 · magazine that explores what officials are thinking about with