My Plan to Improve CBB Officiating

[pfister1]

requires your thoughtful and constructive criticism to help me work out the rough edges.

The Plan. Have 4 Officials for each game. 3 are on the court calling the game, one is on the sidelines waiting to step in. As calls are made throughout the game spectators in the arena and watching at home use mobile devices to register their opinions of each call. If 60% of the votes cast on any one call are that the call was a bad call the referee that made the call is subbed out and the sideline ref rotates in. This continues throughout the game. At the end of the game the three refs that spent the most time on the floor are paid a full fee, the one who spent the least time on the floor only gets a 1/3 fee.

In this way you create a system of instant feedback and accountability for bad calls. It might also make for a more cordial environment for referees because fans no longer have to yell and scream at the referee, instead they can vote them out.

How about it?

 

[Brooky03]

Having fans at the game vote is a problem. They don’t get as good a look as fans watching at home and they’ll get caught up in the emotion of the crowd around them. The size of fanbases will be another issue. Teams with small fanbases will always be on the losing end of the vote when they play the Duke’s of the world. I also see a problem with fans choosing/remembering to vote. It has to be done relatively quickly and fans with negative reactions to the call are going to be more likely to vote.

 

[bballbeadle]

I can’t imagine how this could work. When I am at the game, I don’t see anything. Many of us don’t. We look at the replay screen and then we all start squawking.

I like your spirit, though. It’s very creative. I hope you get more responses.

 

[SWC75]

 

[jncuse]

Wouldn't this just lead to home teams / schools with big fan bases constantly stopping the games largely for no reason.

 

[jncuse]

Part of the problem is that there is such a wide spectrum of what can be a foul. You can look at any call, even a "bad" call and find one small element of the play that is a foul. That is what is happening in the NBA replay. Most calls don't get overturned. For example, say on a drive the players gets a clean block (all ball), but the refs due to positioning just missed it. So the team disputes it.

They go to the replay, and they then see slight body contact that they normally would let go, but is still technically a foul by the book. So the call is not reversed.

Basketball is not an easy sport to ref.

 

[Alsacs]

They should just teach referees to call the block/charge correctly and stop looking to call charges.
That would fix College refs for me.

 

[SmilinBob]

Like I always wanted in football, have them be just refs to all of basketball and not a conference. Move them around and pay them a just salary. Have D1 have theirs and the other 2 can keep it local.

 

[007]

Right...

Think about the collective "wisdom," knowledge of the game, maturity level, and objectivity on display in any game thread. Now imagine giving those people the opportunity to impact the game when they disagree with a call.

As an aside, refs at all levels, from HS on up are, are constantly reviewed and rated for their in game performance. There are raters who either review game film or attend the game. The refs are given scores for their performance.

 

[Newhouser]

clean up two calls. Block/Charge and aggressively and consistently call hand checking on the perimeter. No exceptions. A bunch of the other concerns go away.

 

[Eric15]

Wouldn't this just lead to home teams / schools with big fan bases constantly stopping the games largely for no reason.

In a shocking turn of events after implementing this system, Kentucky suddenly has not committed a single foul all season long.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Get rid of charging and call handchecks and I will be happy. They need to get rid of the Tre Jones and Aaron Craft defense once and for all.

 

[CA Monk]

The one that gets me is when the
Offense gets the ball down low, and the defensive player knows he’s not going to commit a foul on the offensive guy. He just stands there with his arms outstretched to create interference near the basket and that’s all he does. The offensive player turns and shoots and the refs called a foul on the defensive player. It doesn’t happen all the time but it happens enough where it’s just ridiculous. Especially when the defensive team is up by seven or so with a minute and a half left - they’re not going to foul.
And some of those fouls on 3 pointers where the defense of player runs by the shooter and the shooter falls down, are also egregious. But as has been said, it’s a hard game to properly ref.

 

[malpearl31]

requires your thoughtful and constructive criticism to help me work out the rough edges.

The Plan. Have 4 Officials for each game. 3 are on the court calling the game, one is on the sidelines waiting to step in. As calls are made throughout the game spectators in the arena and watching at home use mobile devices to register their opinions of each call. If 60% of the votes cast on any one call are that the call was a bad call the referee that made the call is subbed out and the sideline ref rotates in. This continues throughout the game. At the end of the game the three refs that spent the most time on the floor are paid a full fee, the one who spent the least time on the floor only gets a 1/3 fee.

In this way you create a system of instant feedback and accountability for bad calls. It might also make for a more cordial environment for referees because fans no longer have to yell and scream at the referee, instead they can vote them out.

How about it?

No specific offense to you, personally, but I think your idea is terrible. The absolute last things I want in the game are additional stoppages and fan voting. I would wager that most fans don't even know many of the rules (like what does and does not constitute an "Over and Back" violation).

And I think your belief that this would somehow make for a better environment for the referees is absurd. Let's assume a referee just got removed for botching a call - and he now must take a seat on the sideline while the other referee warms up/stretches to get ready to come on the court. Do you think the fans in the arena would sit silently or would offer words of encouragement? "That's OK, TV Teddy, you'll do better on the next call. Keep your chin up!"

 

[Hoo's That]

Like I always wanted in football, have them be just refs to all of basketball and not a conference. Move them around and pay them a just salary. Have D1 have theirs and the other 2 can keep it local.

I thought this was already the case. The same ones seem to show up all the time because they live in the region. It will be very hard to get refs to fly from one coast to the other, especially for midweek games.

 

[EnviroSciGuy]

requires your thoughtful and constructive criticism to help me work out the rough edges.

The Plan. Have 4 Officials for each game. 3 are on the court calling the game, one is on the sidelines waiting to step in. As calls are made throughout the game spectators in the arena and watching at home use mobile devices to register their opinions of each call. If 60% of the votes cast on any one call are that the call was a bad call the referee that made the call is subbed out and the sideline ref rotates in. This continues throughout the game. At the end of the game the three refs that spent the most time on the floor are paid a full fee, the one who spent the least time on the floor only gets a 1/3 fee.

In this way you create a system of instant feedback and accountability for bad calls. It might also make for a more cordial environment for referees because fans no longer have to yell and scream at the referee, instead they can vote them out.

How about it?

I think this could be the central premise for a movie/comedy. Furthermore, we could "seed" the officials for the post-season, just like the teams are seeded. The officials that perform the best continue to call games and "advance" as the tournament rounds move forward, until the "best" officials are the ones calling the title game.

Seriously, somebody start writing a script. I'm envisioning a Dodgeball-type storyline with a down on his luck former ref (perhaps a now-exiled TV Teddy, Higgins, or Burr) that needs the payout from being one of the last refs standing to save his favorite hot dog stand.

 

[SmilinBob]

I thought this was already the case. The same ones seem to show up all the time because they live in the region. It will be very hard to get refs to fly from one coast to the other, especially for midweek games.

No idea Hoo as I don't really follow basketball like I used to but as I wrote pay them more cash and make it worth the weekday work but you're probably right and to be honest I don't care about the sport nearly as much as I used too.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

requires your thoughtful and constructive criticism to help me work out the rough edges.

The Plan. Have 4 Officials for each game. 3 are on the court calling the game, one is on the sidelines waiting to step in. As calls are made throughout the game spectators in the arena and watching at home use mobile devices to register their opinions of each call. If 60% of the votes cast on any one call are that the call was a bad call the referee that made the call is subbed out and the sideline ref rotates in. This continues throughout the game. At the end of the game the three refs that spent the most time on the floor are paid a full fee, the one who spent the least time on the floor only gets a 1/3 fee.

In this way you create a system of instant feedback and accountability for bad calls. It might also make for a more cordial environment for referees because fans no longer have to yell and scream at the referee, instead they can vote them out.

How about it?

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

So, the teams that are the biggest tv draw will get ALL of the calls. Doesn't really solve the problem.

 

[Marroniac]

How about we just train them well, measure their performance, and hold them accountable for their actions?

 

[MadNY3]

requires your thoughtful and constructive criticism to help me work out the rough edges.

The Plan. Have 4 Officials for each game. 3 are on the court calling the game, one is on the sidelines waiting to step in. As calls are made throughout the game spectators in the arena and watching at home use mobile devices to register their opinions of each call. If 60% of the votes cast on any one call are that the call was a bad call the referee that made the call is subbed out and the sideline ref rotates in. This continues throughout the game. At the end of the game the three refs that spent the most time on the floor are paid a full fee, the one who spent the least time on the floor only gets a 1/3 fee.

In this way you create a system of instant feedback and accountability for bad calls. It might also make for a more cordial environment for referees because fans no longer have to yell and scream at the referee, instead they can vote them out.

How about it?

Blind loyalty would accelerate the erosion of integrity.

 

[Newhouser]

Too many veteran guys get the juice and the veteran coaches like it that way. Too few guys working too many nights evaluating too many rules.

 

[rhcuse]

My plan was firing squad at dawn.

As I reflect on that it’s perhaps a little harsh, so let’s continue to debate and evolve crowd sourced refereeing.

Fan based would never be fair, but a maybe small review board of accredited fans/refs voting over the web (similar to “sending it back to NY for the call”) has potential. A future block-chain application?

 

[realorange]

Ban Mike Stephens

 

[samspann1]