High School Umpires going on strike??

[Dieselsmoke]

What is the word in your area?

UIL to TASO, "Accept the pay-scale as it is, work or don't work."
Multiple baseball officials and umpires in Houston on Saturday, confirmed the U.I.L. spoke to the statewide TASO Chapters, and confirmed they would not negotiate a new pay-scale for the 2009 season.

One member of the TASO Baseball Officials and Umpires told KTBB Sports, "They admitted it was a bad rule, but it was accept the rules as they are, either work, or don't work."

The Tyler Chapter of Baseball Officials and Umpires remain committed to not working U.I.L. member schools this season, and they presented a two-option proposal to the U.I.L., and although the option was well received by the TASO membership, the U.I.L. would not discuss it, accept it, and nothing has changed.

Another TASO member at the meeting in Houston told KTBB Sports, "They wouldn't even take membership questions, they walked away without discussion."

The Tyler Chapter also asked the state membership to unify in an effort to act as an organization and not as individual Chapters. That comment brought a standing ovation, but not all Chapters have voted to strike against the U.I.L..

[3afan]

Softball TASO chapters are going through a similar thing.

The issue is mileage. In the past both officials were paid their game fee ($40/game in '09) and their mileage ($0.585/mile in '09). Now what the UIL/schools want to do is pay one official's mileage and pay the other a $10 "rider fee".

In other words ... if I'm in Forney and I'm assigned a game at South Grand Prarie, and my partner is coming from Plano, then only one of us will get the mileage for our 90+ mile round trip. For some crews/games it may make sense that they could meet and ride together to the game. In fact I've done that, and when I do my mileage stops at where I stop driving. But to expect all officials to meet and ride together to all games is just dumb.

------------

Most folks not directly involved do not understand the commitment and expense involved for baseball/softball officials. Start-up costs can easily be $500+ mostly due to equipment that football, hoops, soccer, etc. officials do not have to get. See here (http://www.dmsua.com/equipment_guide.html) for a sample. And this doesn't include your cold weather gear.

So lets take the SGP example for me. If its a JV/Var double header at 5:30 & 7:00 ... in order for me to ensure I get there in time taking into account the possible traffic nightmares I have to leave at 4pm. And I'm not leaving the ballpark until around 9pm, so I get home around 10. Thats a 6 hour commitment.

Most officials have jobs & families. Coaches think we're all retired and do this for fun. The $s in question are minimal for an ISD - its amazing to me they are pushing this. But when they don't have officials for their games they'll come around ... ;)

[Dieselsmoke]

I have to pay for my gas to drive to work and I do not punch the clock until I arrive at work. Taking driving time into concideration for the pay you get is not "real world" pay. Didn't the UIL propose a flat fee of $70 single and $100 double and the TASO membership refused it and asked for the current arrangement? $100 for 3 1/2 (5:30-9:00) hours work isn't bad.

[3afan]

Originally posted by Dieselsmoke
I have to pay for my gas to drive to work and I do not punch the clock until I arrive at work. Taking driving time into concideration for the pay you get is not "real world" pay. Didn't the UIL propose a flat fee of $70 single and $100 double and the TASO membership refused it and asked for the current arrangement? $100 for 3 1/2 (5:30-9:00) hours work isn't bad.

the proposal you speak of is baseball - softball is $40/game + mileage ....

and your point about driving and gas is true - but, officials also have jobs and have the same drive time and gas $ you speak of for their "real" jobs.

the drive time IS part of the total commitment it takes to be a sports official

[Dieselsmoke]

Originally posted by 3afan
the proposal you speak of is baseball - softball is $40/game + mileage ....

and your point about driving and gas is true - but, officials also have jobs and have the same drive time and gas $ you speak of for their "real" jobs.

the drive time IS part of the total commitment it takes to be a sports official
So for a double header with 90 miles of driving you receive $123.65? $40.00 + $40.00 + 90 X .485 ($43.65) = $123.65 and your "rider" gets $90.00 40 + 40+ 10 = $90.00? If your chapter agrees to particapate in the "strike" will they also let you "scab" as a qualified umpire outside of the chapter or will the chapter ban you from calling games period?

[3afan]

the "strike" is baseball, not softball ...... so I can't speak to that

[Gontex]

Originally posted by 3afan
the proposal you speak of is baseball - softball is $40/game + mileage ....

and your point about driving and gas is true - but, officials also have jobs and have the same drive time and gas $ you speak of for their "real" jobs.

the drive time IS part of the total commitment it takes to be a sports official

Seems pretty clear to me. If you don't like the circumstance, nobody is forcing you to do it. Move on. Go work in a convenience store for $7.35 per hour.

[Dieselsmoke]

Originally posted by 3afan
the "strike" is baseball, not softball ...... so I can't speak to that

What was the point of you saying this than....

But when they don't have officials for their games they'll come around ...

were you referencing the baseball umpires? The schools will have to find certified umpires without association to a chapter, use coaches or get the dad's to call the game.......couldn't do much worse.

[catgut]

Originally posted by Dieselsmoke
What was the point of you saying this than....

But when they don't have officials for their games they'll come around ...

were you referencing the baseball umpires? The schools will have to find certified umpires without association to a chapter, use coaches or get the dad's to call the game.......couldn't do much worse.

Coaches would make good umpires but the problem is they aren't going to want to go to another school to call and the team they play isn't going to want that school's coaches deciding a big game.

[Dieselsmoke]

Originally posted by catgut
Coaches would make good umpires but the problem is they aren't going to want to go to another school to call and the team they play isn't going to want that school's coaches deciding a big game.
One from each team? Given no other option, what are you gonna do?

[BwdLion_80]

Our chapters, both baseball and softball, are planning on calling games this year just the way 1204 is written. When we go to a game our assignor will send 2 from the same town where there is only 1 mileage (@ .585 per mile) to pay while the other gets the rider fee. As for the JV/V doubleheader, which it is not a doubleheader, our chapter is working with the schools to have the JV games with a time limit on them. Not sure the final outcome yet, but we(our chapter) will be calling games this season.

[NastySlot]

got a question if an official (and i know not all do)....officiates travel ball and select leagues and tourneys....do they get paid for mileage?

officials have a thankless job and i am all for them being compensated for their work....so don't take my question as a jab at them....was just wondering.

[3afan]

Originally posted by Gontex
Seems pretty clear to me. If you don't like the circumstance, nobody is forcing you to do it. Move on. Go work in a convenience store for $7.35 per hour.

haha -- OK

[3afan]

Originally posted by NastySlot
got a question if an official (and i know not all do)....officiates travel ball and select leagues and tourneys....do they get paid for mileage?

officials have a thankless job and i am all for them being compensated for their work....so don't take my question as a jab at them....was just wondering.

I know of NO youth organizations that pay mileage

some national-type tournaments may help with travel expenses, but as a whole the answer is NO

but once you get into HS/College you'll get mileage/expenses

[Phil C]

:(

[GreenMonster]

As a HS baseball coach, I want to point out that this is out of my hands. Leave the coaches out of this one. This is all 100% UIL. I was personally sent an e-mail from the UIL outlining what I can and can't pay for. In bold type with an asterick next to it the e-mail quite clearly pointed out that any school paying any official more than what is listed on that e-mail would be considered in full violation of UIL rules and will be disciplined accordingly. My very first comment after reading it, "The Umpires are getting screwed." I appreciate what you and your fellow officials do. I know that without you there will be no games played. I respect every official that I work with, I may not agree with you, but I still respect you. I try to make sure that show my gratitude both before and after every game. I want to wish the officials the best of luck in getting this pay issue resolved. I personally feel like there shouldn't be a problem paying a little bit of mileage simply due to the lack of any extra gate money at baseball and softball games like there is at basketball and football games.

[3afan]

yes - the coaches should be left out of the discussion (unless the coach is also the AD!). yes it will be interesting how this plays out ...

and don't get me started on gate receipts !!! :mad:

[BwdLion_80]

Originally posted by NastySlot
got a question if an official (and i know not all do)....officiates travel ball and select leagues and tourneys....do they get paid for mileage?

officials have a thankless job and i am all for them being compensated for their work....so don't take my question as a jab at them....was just wondering.

Brownwood summer league umpires travel to San Saba, Cross Plains, Rising Star, Goldthwaite and Comanche to call games most all summer long. We get paid mileage to the umpire that drives. We have for as long as I have been calling ball.

[GreenMonster]

Originally posted by 3afan
yes - the coaches should be left out of the discussion (unless the coach is also the AD!). yes it will be interesting how this plays out ...

and don't get me started on gate receipts !!! :mad:

We don't even bother to keep a gate. :D I chose not to go to that meeting at the Baseball Coaches Association meetings a couple weekends ago, so I really don't know what the UIl's reasoning is behind all of this. The only thing that I ever disagreed with was the meal money that we were forced to kick in to the umpires. Which, that too was taken care of by this new directive.

[Emerson1]

What?!?!?!?!

Who is going to buy me and my mom mav playoff tickets now???? :( :(

[Sweetwater Red]

Originally posted by Emerson1
What?!?!?!?!

Who is going to buy me and my mom mav playoff tickets now???? :( :(

The Mavs have clinched a playoff spot already?:confused: ;)

[SintonFan_inAustin]

Originally posted by Dieselsmoke
I have to pay for my gas to drive to work and I do not punch the clock until I arrive at work. Taking driving time into concideration for the pay you get is not "real world" pay. Didn't the UIL propose a flat fee of $70 single and $100 double and the TASO membership refused it and asked for the current arrangement? $100 for 3 1/2 (5:30-9:00) hours work isn't bad. your work is to the same place each time? I do field service and i start charging after 15 miles from home and 15 miles before i get home, per IRS rules, otherwise i would charge to a location and back home.

[rancher]

Im with TASO officials on this one, the UIL needs to step up and get a decent pay scale. These men, work all day then come and put up with abusive fans and coaches who want every call to go their way. The UIL and some of these school districts waste money on other things, pay the officals a living wage not slave wages!!!

[JR2004]

Don't budge an inch on this one UIL.

[3afan]

Originally posted by JR2004
Don't budge an inch on this one UIL.

whats your reasoning here?

[TinyTim]

STRIKE THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOUR OUT!!!!

[rancher]

Here is UIL Plan B, if TASO does not call the games, vol. team dads or some home team booster club members may or will call them. Just like little league. See how well it goes then. The UIL needs to step up and do the right thing, pay a decent rate, not slave wages. These guys have bills to pay also.

[GreenMonster]

Originally posted by rancher
Im with TASO officials on this one, the UIL needs to step up and get a decent pay scale. These men, work all day then come and put up with abusive fans and coaches who want every call to go their way. The UIL and some of these school districts waste money on other things, pay the officals a living wage not slave wages!!!

Let's also be fair to the UIL here. They made an offer to the officials, a very fair offer, that the officials turned down. Now the UIL has decided to be "tough" and play hard ball(pun seriously intended) with TASO baseball officials. I truly believe that all of this will be worked out in due time, the UIL is currently posturing to get a better position in the negotiations. In the past few years, umpires have been paid well. What I have been paying was $80 each for 1 game $120 each for 2 games plus another $10 a piece meal money. That was of course in a flat fee arrangement with my local chapter. I chose this route over the $45 per game plus mileage plus $10 meal money which was the other choice. I chose the flat fee option because it allowed me to know up front what the officials were going to cost me and I could budget accordingly. I am friendly with my local chapter and I want them to be treated fairly. I know that every year is a struggle for them to replace the guys that chose not to come back much less for them to expand their numbers and I think pay is one of the major drawing cards that they chose to use.
Where else could you make $130 in 6 hours? I also agree that the original buy in for an umpire is much steeper than any of the other sports. The local chapter has 3 or 4 shirts with 3 or 4 different approved undershirt combinations. At least 2 pair of slacks (plate and field), 2 pair of shoes (plate and field), 2 caps (again plate and field), chest protector, shin guards, face mask, ball bag, clicker, plate brush, cup, etc, etc, etc. It isn't cheap to replace these items when they wear out either. I want to pay a fair price for this service, but what is fair? I think that is what the UIL and TASO are trying to figure out.

[Gontex]

Are you doing it for the money? Are you doing it for the love of the game? If you are in it for the money, it seems to me like you are in the wrong game. The games will be played even if professional umpires don't show up. Go ahead. Strike. Show 'em how important you are to the game. Don't be surprised if somebody else doesnt step up and fill the void you create.

[pancho villa]

Originally posted by GreenMonster
As a HS baseball coach, I want to point out that this is out of my hands. Leave the coaches out of this one. This is all 100% UIL. I was personally sent an e-mail from the UIL outlining what I can and can't pay for. In bold type with an asterick next to it the e-mail quite clearly pointed out that any school paying any official more than what is listed on that e-mail would be considered in full violation of UIL rules and will be disciplined accordingly. My very first comment after reading it, "The Umpires are getting screwed." I appreciate what you and your fellow officials do. I know that without you there will be no games played. I respect every official that I work with, I may not agree with you, but I still respect you. I try to make sure that show my gratitude both before and after every game. I want to wish the officials the best of luck in getting this pay issue resolved. I personally feel like there shouldn't be a problem paying a little bit of mileage simply due to the lack of any extra gate money at baseball and softball games like there is at basketball and football games.

The season has not started, and somebody is already trying to get them strikes called in their favor. Shame on you!

[3afan]

Originally posted by Gontex
Are you doing it for the money? Are you doing it for the love of the game? If you are in it for the money, it seems to me like you are in the wrong game. The games will be played even if professional umpires don't show up. Go ahead. Strike. Show 'em how important you are to the game. Don't be surprised if somebody else doesnt step up and fill the void you create.

very few umpires do it strictly for the money, at least that the case in my TASO softball chapter (remember its baseball thats "striking", not softball !!!!!!!!)

but, very few could do it without the money either

its a balance .....

[VAMike]

From, the UIL manual 2004-05 school year:
(k) MAXIMUM FEE SCHEDULE.
(1) Baseball.
Gross Gate One Double
Receipts Game Header
Up to $150 35.00 65.00
$150 to $300 40.00 70.00
$300 to $500 45.00 75.00
$500 to $700 50.00 80.00
$700 to $1,000 55.00 85.00
$1,000 to $1,500 65.00 95.00
$1,500 to $2,000 70.00 105.00
Each additional $1,000 25.00

From the 2008-09 school year:
(k) FEE SCHEDULE.
(1) Baseball.
Gross Gate Receipts1 Game2 Games
Up to $150 $45 $75
$150 to $300 $50 $80
$300 to $500 $55 $85
$500 to $700 $60 $90
$700 to $1,000 $65 $95
$1,000 to $1,500 $75 $105
$1,500 to $2,000 $80 $115
Each additional $1,000 $20


In 4 years the pay has increased 10 dollars (or about 29%). Mileage has increased each year as the state standard mileage rate has increased. There can be debate that perhaps the fee was too low 4 years ago but just looking at the 4 year change, I would say it has increased fairly.

[GreenMonster]

Originally posted by VAMike
In 4 years the pay has increased 10 dollars (or about 29%). Mileage has increased each year as the state standard mileage rate has increased. There can be debate that perhaps the fee was too low 4 years ago but just looking at the 4 year change, I would say it has increased fairly. [/B]

The UIL actually offered even more than this, but TASO shot them down because it was too low. So the UIL pulled their first offer and came back with this one.

[BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END]

Originally posted by Gontex
Seems pretty clear to me. If you don't like the circumstance, nobody is forcing you to do it. Move on. Go work in a convenience store for $7.35 per hour.

Are you also an advocate for child labor and unsafe working conditions? How about the rollback of benefits to employees?

[Phantom Stang]

Originally posted by rancher
vol. team dads or some home team booster club members may or will call them. Just like little league..
High School varsity??

:spitlol: :spitlol: :spitlol:

[CenTexSports]

Officials call for different reasons. A guy on my crew (football) uses all his officiating money for traveling to the vineyards of Calif. twice a year. A lot of young officials do it to supplement their income for their families.

I officiate because I love being out there on Friday nights. I would call on Fridays for free if they just paid for my gas. But the other nights are different. If the UIL gets tough this year and lowers the pay for sub varsity games, then I may quit. I take time away from my family, hobbies and other interest to call during the middle of the week and I feel like I should get paid enough to make it worth my time.

If you think we make a lot of money then you are wrong.

Playoff game in Hondo: Left home at 12:30 pm and got back home at 1:30 am. I made $80 plus $12 for food and a $10 rider fee. $102 for 13 hours.

TAPPS state Championship: $75 and a hat

I know this is about baseball but if you do not pay all officials good enough to keep the expierenced ones and to draw in new ones, then the parents will be out there calling the games.

[rancher]

If an official is honest, he will tell you that he is there for the money also. He will give you the party line for the love of the game, but this is B.S. If he feels that way, why not just give the money back to the school district and call for free. After all its for the "Children". With all these guys put up with from fans and coaches along with the fact of not spending time with the family, they need a good pay raise to make it worth while to get good men into TASO. I hope you ask yourself how much would you take off a loud mouth coach who wants to verbally abusive you when he does not get his way. How about a equally abusive fan who calls you and your mama every name under the sun. Face it, the UIL and these school district waste more money than can be imagined. I recall a few years ago, seeing local UIL officials at the Taste of Texas in Houston run up close to a $1000 lunch bill on taxpayers money. Pay these men a Living Wage not Slave Wages.

[VAMike]

Not sure we should be talking about a "living wage". This is not meant to be someone' s livelihood. Some view it as their "2d job" but even then there is no need for it to be someone's "living wage."

As someone has mentioned, folks would be a whole lot happier with the pay if the other conditions were improved, i.e. dressing facilties, treatment by coaches, players and fans, etc. You can pay less and still keep officials if you take care of some of the intangibles.

[rancher]

I know several officals in the Houston Chapter. Talked to them here is a good example. Uniforms paid $225, Chapter and State Dues $100, State TASO Meeting $300, District Meeting $25, Mechanics Training all day, $25, Chapter meetings each week 2-3 hrs. Offseason camps, prices vary from $500-2500 depending upon camp. This is for baseball, football even more demanding, a friend of mine works 5A - 4A in the Houston area. He worked 13 regular season games and 3 playoffs. This year he made a grand total of $112.00 for all his time. Divide that by the hours he put in and he is just about doing it for free. Yet look up in the press box and look at what the School Officials are having to eat and drink. Check with each TASO chapter, see how short they are of officials, many schools are lucky to get a crew for the sub-varsity games. Simple solution, make it worth a person's time. A living/fare wage not a slave wage.

[VAMike]

The officiating staffing problem (in football anyway) is for subvarsity, not varsity. But the solution is not pure and simple more money . As a taxpayer, I want the school districts to do all they can to limit expenses and thereby limit the amount of money they need. I was kind of hoping the baseball thing stayed unresolved so it would force schools to think outside the box to
find less costly ways of doing business.

As for your list of expenses, I would dispute the $500-$2500 camps. #1 Those camps are not even required #2 A guy can become a better ump without them (although he may limit his chances to move up to college) I also do not see many guys spending $300 for the state meeting. Some do because they go for the entire weekend and stay alone in a a good hotel. They are the exception and not the rule.

[rancher]

You are correct, the problem is at the subvarsity level, I have been to several Junior High and Freshman games where no official ever showed up. If you live in rural areas you have observed this. Especially if the officials have to drive, take off work early a lot of times (lossing money). A simple solution again a living/fair wage. I suggest that if some school districts wish to limit expense, cut the number of sub-varsity games and travel to sub-varsity tournments etc. Also cut the supt. and admin pay. Just recently I read at a local Austin County school district where the supt. got a $5000 bonus, the boots on the ground workers, (teachers and support staff) got $000!!! Where is the waste. These school district are wasteful money pits. As far as the price of the camps, I disagree this is the price for a week and it will depend on which camp you attend. A good friend since we were in college together at Sam Houston, Walter Anderson, recently was the refree for the NFL Championship game. Walter paid his dues to be the best. No these camps are not required, but if you ever want to move up in the pecking order of a chapter and get the better games and a shot at the college and pro level, you better go to the camps and improve your skills.

[VAMike]

The subvarsity issue is not limited to rural areas. It is a problem in the metro areas also. Too many games, most of which start much earlier than a varsity game starts. Again, time for schools to start thinking outside the box. May need to move more of them to Saturdays, or later starts every day of the week.

The high dollar camps which guys use to help themselves advance to the next level are NOT something schools should be helping pay for. In fact, by making it easier (i.e. paying guys more so they have more money available) the schools are actually hurting themselves by helping reduce the number of guys available for school ball since hypothetically they will be moving on.

[rancher]

Agree, the metro areas also have a problem with sub-vasity officials they are not ON TIME OR NO SHOWS. Again simple, think about it, the majority officals work and have to take off their job to be at the school game time which is about 4pm. Most jobs will not pay you if you take off early which means A LOSS OF INCOME plus making other coworkers and the boss mad. But remember it is all for the "Children". I know no officials that have call for any time that does not want to work college or professional level. Just like any high school ath. who does not want to play in college or the professional level. You must go that extra mile to achieve your goal. Again the UIL and these school districts are money pits who are very wasteful. They think if they run short, there is always the property owner and they can raise the tax rates. A novel approach, what not charge a user fee to the students who want to play the sport. After all this is "EXTRA"circular. For those students who cannot afford to pay there is a boster club, who has a lot of extra money to spend, one local boster club here in Austin County just spent $13,000 on a blow up helmet. Maybe that could pay the officals also. Living Wage not a Slave Wage.

[VAMike]

It is a pretty sad state of affairs when we have to start charging kids to play extracurricular sports. That sort of approach will eliminate sports in some schools where they are most needed, i.e. the schools in "troubled" areas. I hope that is the LAST step and many other solutions are tried first.

[VAMike]

Exactly the outside the box approaches I was referring to. When I reffed out of the San Angelo Chapter we never did middle school games as the coaches did them all.

[VAMike]

Probably helps make sure the games get over quickly too huh?
;)

Kudos to your District for this approach!

[rancher]

Do not want to burst anyone's bubble, but sports in some of the Houston's school have been axed. The one most mentioned is at Houston Lee, once a football power on the westside now does not have a team. Other school have very few out that they are now on the chopping block due to low attendence numbers by fans and lack of kids going out (rumor has it that Scarborough, Sam Houston, & Kashmere my be gone in a year). Yes, TASO officials are used at a number of junior high games. In Austin County at both Sealy and Bellville that I know. I also know that this is true in the Alief School Dist, Katy School Dist. and Spring Branch. Why not have them pay a user fee, simple solution if they cannot pay, booster club. If they can spend that type of money on blow up helments, a few dollars more will not hurt them. Again, you would have more wanting to call games if the money was there. You can always have AAU sports, and let someone sponser the team.

[rancher]

Where is Zebrablue in this discussion?

[VAMike]

Originally posted by rancher
Do not want to burst anyone's bubble, but sports in some of the Houston school have been axed. The one most mentioned is at Houston Lee, one a football power on the westside now does not have a team. Other school have very few out that they are now on the chopping block. Yes, TASO officials are used at a number of junior high games. In Austin County at both Sealy and Bellville that I know. I also know that this is true in the Alief School Dist, Katy School Dist. and Spring Branch. Why not have them pay a user fee, simple solution if they cannot pay, booster club. If they can spend that type of money on blow up helments, a few dollars more will not hurt them. Again, you would have more wanting to call games if the money was there. You can always have AAU sports, and let someone sponser the team.

I suspect the booster clubs in the areas where the money would be most needed either do not exist or do not have that kind of money anyway. It is not as simple as saying "Let the Booster Club pay". It is NOT a solution that will work statewide

[GreenMonster]

Not to ruffle any feathers here, but this Rancher guy needs to get a clue. By the way, after meeting with my local chapter this morning, we will have officials here this year. They are upset at the UIL but understand that the area coaches for the most part are on their side.

[zebrablue2]

Originally posted by rancher
Where is Zebrablue in this discussion?


I do football and softball. I am happy with the pay scale for Texas. Other states are not paid near as well in football as we are here. Again, I don't really do it for the money. Like to just break even. I am sure you ask the question, if not for the money then why do it??? I just like helping kids out. Without people like me, it would be hard for these sports to function. Many times it is hard to get to games with my job, but I do the best I can. This keeps many people out of it. I am blessed to have a job that allows me to get to games on time. Baseball and softball pay is fair enough also. I will not complain. So there you have my point of view.. As far as earlier threads saying the coaches or parents could do it, that is just not so. The coaches have enough on their plate just doing classes and sports, and parents would not have a clue. I went to an 8 hr. clinic today and will meet each week to study and go over rules and plays. Football is the same way, the rules clinic and 2 hour meetings weekly for 12 weeks. We put in alot of time people do not know about.
Finally, we can always use more officials, so if interested go to TASO.ORG and join a sport, not for the money, but for the love of the game...

[VAMike]

I don't think anyone is saying non "certified" officials would do as well, just saying that the games could be played. Yes there will be some rare rulings that would throw off most non-officials but the game could be played. That is why, as has been pointed out in this thread, there are games in some places being played just fine without "real" officials.