What Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Do

Umpires, referees, and other sports officials preside over competitive athletic or sporting events. They detect infractions and decide penalties according to the rules of the game.

Duties

Umpires, referees, and other sports officials typically do the following:

• Officiate sporting events, games, and competitions
• Judge performances in sporting competitions to determine a winner
• Inspect sports equipment and examine all participants to ensure safety
• Keep track of event times, starting or stopping play when necessary
• Signal participants and other officials when infractions occur or to regulate play or competition
• Settle claims of infractions or complaints by participants
• Enforce the rules of the game and assess penalties when necessary

In officiating at sporting events, umpires, referees, and sports officials anticipate play and put themselves where they can best see the action, assess the situation, and determine any violations of the rules.

Some sports officials, such as boxing referees, may work independently. Others, such as umpires, work in groups.

Regardless of the sport, the job is highly stressful because officials often must make split-second decisions, sometimes resulting in strong disagreement expressed by opposing team players, coaches, and spectators.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition