The sports industry has seen new developments and challenges in recent years. With many American Sports industries expanding internationally, there has been a rise in recruitment and interest in the next generation of sports players and in youth sports. Unfortunately, the youth sports industry has a concerning problem that could hinder much of the success.
Simply put, there is a shortage of youth sports referees that has shot up in intensity within the past few years. The largest causes of this problem stem from scheduling conflicts and the unreliability of payment or low pay that these workers often face. Additionally, the age of referees and umpires has only gone up to over 50 years old. However, the biggest issue facing referees is the vitriol and harassment from spectators and parents, which has contributed to 70% of new referees quitting their job in their first three years of work. Already, this shortage has led to game cancellations, and the burnout these workers face, alongside these working conditions, will unfortunately lead to any prospective referee staying away from the industry.
That said, another problem is brewing thanks to private equity. Increasingly, more of the youth sports industry is being bought up by private equity firms, commercializing and fundamentally changing how it operates. Volunteer or independent contractor sports roles like referees are currently being debated to turn them into W-2 employees, which, according to WHYY, will only balloon costs.
