The following article about sports officiating as a side hustle was written by Rachel Repp. Rachel is the Marketing Director at Silbo, the app that connects sports officials to games. She also writes for Silbo’s blog where you can learn more about becoming a referee or umpire. She received her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and is an avid sports fan.
Sports Officiating as a Side Hustle
If getting paid to watch sports sounds like your dream job, sports officiating might be the side hustle for you. Sports officiating is a great way to stay involved in your favorite sports and make some extra money.
Since most games happen on evenings and weekends, sports officiating fits in well around a traditional 9-5 job. It also pays well. Entry-level youth sports officials typically make anywhere from $25 to $50 per game. High school referees make even more. Exact pay will vary depending on factors like what sport you officiate, where you live, the age of the players, and the competitiveness of the league. As a bonus, running up and down the field or court is a great way to stay in shape.
Step 1: Choose Your Sport
So how do you get started? The first step is to decide what sport you want to officiate. Most people choose a sport they’ve played in the past or a sport they really enjoy watching. Familiarity with the sport will make it easier to learn to officiate it.
Step 2: Find Organizations
Once you know what sport you want to officiate, you’ll need to figure out who you’re going to officiate for. A good place to start is your state’s high school athletic association. You can also try searching for a local sports official association or reaching out to local leagues to find out who their officials work for.
Step 3: Get Certified
Most organizations or associations will either offer training or be able to connect you to training options. Training and certification requirements typically vary from organization to organization. Some trainings will be free and others may require a fee.
Step 4: Buy The Right Gear
Next, you’ll need to get the equipment. Every sport requires different equipment and uniforms. Sometimes there will also be variations by league or level. Depending on the sport you chose, equipment may be as little as $100 for less equipment intensive sports like soccer or as much as $600 for baseball and softball which require more gear.
Step 5: Officiate!
Once you’re trained and have equipment, it’s time to work your first game. Being nervous is normal and you might even make mistakes, but just like playing sports, officiating is all about getting better with each game.
If you want to maximize your ability to earn money through officiating then working for multiple organizations so you have the opportunity to work more games is the best option. You can also learn additional sports so you can officiate more seasons. Many officials will train in a winter sport like basketball and a summer sport like baseball so they can officiate all year long.
Jake’s Take
Sports officiating is my favorite side hustle, it pays great and I truly enjoy. I usually earn around $40 per game and typically do anywhere between 4-20 games a weekend! However, sports officiating is not for the faint hearted. You will no doubt face angry parents, coaches, and even players. With that said the more you practice the easier it is. If you enjoy sports and money then I highly recommend officiating as a side hustle.
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