Cost of match officials

**oldyouth** · 22/07/2008, 8:10 PM

I've just read an article by Mick Wallace and in it he mentions that the cost of the match officials for our home cup game against Killester was �1,260. This seems very high for a ref, 2 linos and a 4th official. Is it based on a fixed fee plus expenses etc. or does anyone know?
I won't even get into value for money, given the general standard, but that is a huge cost for smaller clubs

**brianw82** · 22/07/2008, 8:14 PM

How exactly does this 'cost' work? Are these officials not provided by the FAI?

**Battery Rover** · 22/07/2008, 8:35 PM

Originally Posted by brianw82

How exactly does this 'cost' work? Are these officials not provided by the FAI?

Would you like it if some published how your wages were worked out on a public forum?

**brianw82** · 22/07/2008, 8:37 PM

Would you like it if some published how your wages were worked out on a public forum?

Christ on a bike, why is everyone on this forum so accusatory?

What I meant was, why does the home team have to pay for the match officials? If it's an FAI-sanctioned game, and if the officials are employed by the FAI, shouldn't they be paid by the FAI for officiating? Whatever or wherever the game?

**Battery Rover** · 22/07/2008, 8:39 PM

It wasn't meant to sound that way sorry.

**ForzaWexford** · 22/07/2008, 9:17 PM

Here's the article Mick wrote.

He basically slates Fran Gavin for not allowing Wexford and Kildare to push their league game back a week, from Monday July 28th to Monday August 4th. Having it on the bank holiday would mean both clubs could avoid having to take players out of work.

And about the cost of match officials, I know at least some of it is expenses based on mileage. A certain wee 4th official from Rosslare was taken to task over what he was claiming for our home games.

**brendy_�ire** · 22/07/2008, 9:41 PM

Originally Posted by ForzaWexford

And about the cost of match officials, I know at least some of it is expenses based on mileage.

Surely that would work out bad for the likes of us, Harps, Cork and Cobh? I thought each club paid the same amount to the League and then money was then paid out by them? Could be wrong.

**Mr A** · 22/07/2008, 9:53 PM

I think match officials are subsidised for league but not cup games. The fees often mean that the home club makes less than the away club in these games.

**Longfordian** · 22/07/2008, 9:53 PM

Think it works that way for league games alright, don't know about cup games.

**passerrby** · 22/07/2008, 10:12 PM

its about €500 for a league game and anything from €1000 up for a cup game know one club paying €1500 for a midweek cup game last season

**Longfordian** · 22/07/2008, 10:17 PM

Friendlies can be very expensive too. Apparently some of our pre-season home games cost over 700 for officials.

**R�iteoir** · 22/07/2008, 10:41 PM

Normally (i.e. in other Leagues in the UK) - it's a match fee, plus mileage expenses - plus a meal allowance if traveling over a certain distance.

It's paid out for by the home club - and in some Leagues they total up all the fees at the end of a season, work out an average cost per club - and then reimburse some clubs who paid out over the average and get shortfall out of clubs if below the average - basically each club pays out the same amount.

I don't know what the system employed in the FAI is though

Originally Posted by Longfordian

Friendlies can be very expensive too. Apparently some of our pre-season home games cost over 700 for officials.

I know in England that if a non-league club plays a league side in a friendly then they have to have a referee from the higher club's level - and he must be paid the match fee for the higher league level.

e.g. Non-League side play League 1 team - Referee must be on the Football League list and the home club must pay the referee Football League fees.

**Longfordian** · 22/07/2008, 11:50 PM

Well we just played Premier Division teams this year. Whether that made a difference I don't know. It's a lot considering the low gate you'd be taking in. It's the same for all clubs I guess.

**gael353** · 23/07/2008, 11:44 PM

Teh fee actually depends on the make up of the teams. In a league game in the first division the officials cost about 500 a game but then in a cup game just say you get a prem team, the ref (even if hes only first div standard) suddenly becomes a prem div ref so his fee for the cork city Limerick cup game this year was ............ �2000

**Sheridan** · 24/07/2008, 12:02 AM

The following price list was allegedly retrieved from the dressing room of an unnamed Dublin club by an undisclosed individual and its authenticity cannot be verified:

Cost of match officials

Referee: �250
Referee and one assistant: �300
Referee and both assistants: �400
Penalty kick (minutes 1 to 89): �150
Penalty kick (minute 90 onwards): �275
Red card: �85
Free-kick on edge of box: �45
Massage with "happy finish": �60
Screwing over the Corkies: Priceless
Refereeing match in accordance with FIFA statues: Service currently unavailable.

**RonnieB** · 24/07/2008, 8:21 AM

The standards of officiating in the first division, twenty euro and a can of coke would be enough. Infact scrap the can of coke, they are overweight enough without more sugar...

**GavinZac** · 24/07/2008, 9:06 AM

Originally Posted by gael353

Teh fee actually depends on the make up of the teams. In a league game in the first division the officials cost about 500 a game but then in a cup game just say you get a prem team, the ref (even if hes only first div standard) suddenly becomes a prem div ref so his fee for the cork city Limerick cup game this year was ............ �2000

Worth every penny!

**Dodge** · 24/07/2008, 9:13 AM

Genuinely shocked at some the figures mentioned here.

Talk about poor value for money.

**Stato** · 24/07/2008, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by Battery Rover

Would you like it if some published how your wages were worked out on a public forum?

But this is referees we're talking about, not real people!!!

Anyway, enough of the speculation, below are the actual figures from the 2007 season. I don't know if they were increased for this season or not. For league games the league itself used to cover the expenses. For cup games the clubs have to pay the expenses which explains the high figures already given:

Premier Division ref: �160
Premier Division other officials: �120 each

First Division ref: �130
First Division other officials: �95 each

U21 ref: �85
U21 other officials: �50

Expenses:
Loss of earnings: half day �60, full day �120
Meal allowance: > 50 miles �20, > 100 miles �35
Overnight accommodation: �60
Mileage rate: �0.72
Cross Dublin city travel: �20
Pitch inspection: �40