MLS Referee compensation

[Wreave]

Somebody stop me if this is just grossly inappropriate, but since most ref compensation is public knowledge anyway, I figure it's OK to ask.

What do MLS referees get paid? A ref buddy of mine told me it's $3500/game plus expenses. That sounds to me like enough money to not have to have another job, but it's my understanding that you can't by as a soccer referee without another source of income. I thought it was less than that. Truthfully, I thought it was a LOT less.

Does anyone know?

[MassachusettsRef]

Somebody stop me if this is just grossly inappropriate, but since most ref compensation is public knowledge anyway, I figure it's OK to ask.

What do MLS referees get paid? A ref buddy of mine told me it's $3500/game plus expenses. That sounds to me like enough money to not have to have another job, but it's my understanding that you can't by as a soccer referee without another source of income. I thought it was less than that. Truthfully, I thought it was a LOT less.

Does anyone know?
It is a lot less. MLS handbook is available off ussoccer-data.com, I believe. But, I know the range, depending on rankings from previous years, is about $600-$1000 per game.

[usatowin]

2006 MLS Referee Compensation Package
• Referees are ranked 1-25 based on 2005 performance
A. Payment Schedule
Referee Category A, ranking 1-5 $800.00
Referee Category B, ranking 6-10 $700.00
Referee Category C, ranking 11-13 $600.00
Referee Category D, ranking 14-25 $400.00
FIFA Assistant Referee Either SAR or JAR $340.00
Senior Assistant Referee SAR $275.00
Junior Assistant Referee JAR $275.00
Fourth Officials 4th $200.00
Referees, traveling AR’s, and fourth Officials receive travel, local transportation, hotel and $44.00 per Diem. AR’s and
Fourth Official, when local (i.e. domiciled within 100 miles of the stadium), receive actual auto mileage (.445/mile), tolls,
etc. up to $50.00. Local officials may not claim per Diem. Whenever possible, local officials shall travel together.
2006 Playoff Compensation
First Round Games Second Round Games
Referee $1,000.00 $1,200.00
SAR $400.00 $500.00
JAR $400.00 $500.00
Fourth $400.00 $500.00
*Plus regular season travel, local transportation, hotel and per diem.
MLS Cup
Referee $1,500.00
SAR $750.00
JAR $750.00
Fourth $750.00
*Plus regular season travel, local transportation, hotel and per diem.
C. Pre/Post Season Exhibition Games - in stadium venue / admission charged
Referee - $185.00; SAR - $135.00; JAR - $110.00; Fourth Official - $75.00
D. Pre-season Practice Games – closed door or no admission charged
Referee - $125.00; SAR - $75.00; JAR - $75.00; Fourth Official - $50.00
E. Regular Season International Exhibition – in stadium venue / admission charged
Rate shall apply as determined by US Soccer
F. MLS vs. USL Teams – admission charged – see payment Category C
G. MLS vs. Lamar Hunt Open Cup/US Soccer National Teams – in stadium venue / admission charged US Soccer
rate shall apply for all Lamar Hunt Open Cups games.
H. MLS Reserve Team Games
Referee - $220.00; SAR – $110.00 JAR - $110.00 Fourth Official - $60.00
I. Other – see payment Category C

Only thing I don't get is why ARs get so much less now that there's specialization.

[BC_Ref]

What do MLS referees get paid? A ref buddy of mine told me it's $3500/game plus expenses. That sounds to me like enough money to not have to have another job, but it's my understanding that you can't by as a soccer referee without another source of income. I thought it was less than that. Truthfully, I thought it was a LOT less.

Does anyone know?

As others have pointed out, it is well under $3,500 per game. Given the number of matches, $3,500 would allow for refs to be full time. Similar to the Select Group in the EPL. At the maximum current, reffing every possible regular league game (all 32) would net you a whole $25,600. Not enough to raise a family on in most areas and definitely not worth spending the time and effort getting your National/FIFA grade.

[Leighs_babe]

Only thing I don't get is why ARs get so much less now that there's specialization.


Because they think that the Assistant referee is not as important as the referee. The referee makes 95% of the decisions. It took guys retiring from the FIFA Assistant referee panel to say to the guys that were still on the panel. Hey why is it the JAR and the Sar are doing the same jobs and should get paid the same.

It is like a Former now retired assistant referee said last year, before he left the league. Assistant referee's with experieicne are placed on the SAR line to babysit the rookie referee and Only get 290.00, how do you enjoy that........

[billf]

Only thing I don't get is why ARs get so much less now that there's specialization.

This is indeed very strange.

[SA14mars]

This is indeed very strange.

actually, its the same proportions of regular leagues. for example: our local mens league pays $20 for line, $35 center - the AR pay is a little more than half the basic rate (e.g. the bottom rate) of the CR pay. The basic rate for CRs in the MLS is $400, of which $275 (SAR) is a little more than half of. The ranking system in MLS has more to do with rewarding constistantly strong preformers than it does with the actual level of the game (they're all MLS games, whether its Columbus versus Real, or Dallas versus Houston). Hence, the $800 of the top ranked referees has very little to do with the actual game being refereed and more with the individual CR's track record (as seen by MLS and USSF, which may differ signifcantly from the perspective of fans or even other USSF officials, but that's the business of a different post...).

[usatowin]

actually, its the same proportions of regular leagues. for example: our local mens league pays $20 for line, $35 center - the AR pay is a little more than half the basic rate (e.g. the bottom rate) of the CR pay. The basic rate for CRs in the MLS is $400, of which $275 (SAR) is a little more than half of. The ranking system in MLS has more to do with rewarding constistantly strong preformers than it does with the actual level of the game (they're all MLS games, whether its Columbus versus Real, or Dallas versus Houston). Hence, the $800 of the top ranked referees has very little to do with the actual game being refereed and more with the individual CR's track record (as seen by MLS and USSF, which may differ signifcantly from the perspective of fans or even other USSF officials, but that's the business of a different post...).

The point you're missing is in your local mens league, they're rotating between centers or lines, aren't of high enough level to do a center, or are of so high a level the assignor only uses them for centers. So the pay evens out, except in cases of extremely high or low rank. In MLS, FIFA ARs receive less than a center on his first game.

[Ref Flunkie]

The point you're missing is in your local mens league, they're rotating between centers or lines, aren't of high enough level to do a center, or are of so high a level the assignor only uses them for centers. So the pay evens out, except in cases of extremely high or low rank. In MLS, FIFA ARs receive less than a center on his first game.


Yeah you would think they would do some formula based on years of service, ranking, level, etc. The ARs are really getting screwed due to their specialization.

[BC_Ref]

The point you're missing is in your local mens league, they're rotating between centers or lines, aren't of high enough level to do a center, or are of so high a level the assignor only uses them for centers. So the pay evens out, except in cases of extremely high or low rank. In MLS, FIFA ARs receive less than a center on his first game.


Does anyone know how the Select Group in the EPL pays their ARs (or any of the European leagues)? This would provide a decent basis for comparing whether the MLS is just stingy or whether ARs just get the short end of the pay stick.

[billf]

actually, its the same proportions of regular leagues. for example: our local mens league pays $20 for line, $35 center - the AR pay is a little more than half the basic rate (e.g. the bottom rate) of the CR pay. The basic rate for CRs in the MLS is $400, of which $275 (SAR) is a little more than half of. The ranking system in MLS has more to do with rewarding constistantly strong preformers than it does with the actual level of the game (they're all MLS games, whether its Columbus versus Real, or Dallas versus Houston). Hence, the $800 of the top ranked referees has very little to do with the actual game being refereed and more with the individual CR's track record (as seen by MLS and USSF, which may differ signifcantly from the perspective of fans or even other USSF officials, but that's the business of a different post...).

You completely missed the point.