Hot Topics
Home Hot Topics
General items of interest to all officials that don’t fit in the categories above.
The Four-Hour Audition
By Brad Tittrington
T
he odds of making it to MLB as a player are infinitesimally small — roughly 0.5% of high school players make it....
Ryder Cup Rules Explained: Where Golf’s Traditions Meet Officiating Chaos
Picture LeBron James calling his own foul. Imagine Patrick Mahomes telling the referee he stepped out of bounds. That's golf — until the Ryder...
Liven’ a Full Life: MLB Umpire Shane Livensparger
By Dan Ronan
Shane Livensparger has several uniforms in his closet. During the MLB season, the up-and-coming professional umpire wears the traditional MLB umpire uniform...
Pain in the Association
By Rick Woelfel
From Pride to Problems
Think back to the start of your officiating career — the pride of passing the rules test, pulling on...
Progress at the Plate: Jen Pawol Makes MLB Umpiring History
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball announced Wednesday that Jen Pawol will umpire games in the upcoming Miami Marlins vs. Atlanta Braves series at Truist...
Montgomery Hosts Landmark Gathering at 2025 Sports Officiating Summit and Officiate Alabama Day
Hundreds of sports officiating leaders, officials, and administrators gathered in Montgomery, Ala., July 27–29 for the 2025 Sports Officiating Summit—three days of programming focused...
Why I Love Officiating
No matter what sport or level we work, we are bonded. We are drawn together by a passion for officiating those outside the industry...
Rule Changes That Changed Everything
Officiating standards and practices have changed considerably over the course of time. So have the rules all of us are expected to know and enforce. The evolution of the rules...
Are Big Calls Even A Thing Anymore?
The proposition is simple enough: safe or out? foul or not? catch or no catch? A good official has had hundreds of big calls in his...
Pickleball’s Meteoric Rise and the Call for More Referees
What happens when you mix the best parts of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong? You get pickleball—America’s fastest-growing sport that’s turning parks, gyms, and even...
Protecting Officials: Insights from NASO President Bill Topp on the Officiating Crisis
In a recent Athletic Business interview, NASO President Bill Topp addressed one of the most pressing challenges facing sports today: the officiating crisis. From dwindling...
Ted Barrett Accepts 2024 Gold Whistle Award
As part of the 2024 Celebrate Officiating Gala sponsored by Fox 40 Ted Barrett accepted officiating's highest honor.
Sarah Thomas Accepts Inspire Award
The award was presented in Atlanta on Tue, July 30, during the Celebrate Officiating Gala, sponsored by Fox 40.
Ernie Yarbrough Accepts Mel Narol Medallion
The award was presented in Atlanta on Tue, July 30, during the Celebrate Officiating Gala, sponsored by Fox 40.
Bob Delaney: Hiding In Plain Sight
Retired NBA referee and former undercover New Jersey state trooper Bob Delaney talks with Nick Nanton about his incredible careers.
Time to Get It Right
Officials are taught to maintain focus and concentration from the moment they walk on the field or court to the final whistle and sometimes...
2023 Mel Narol Medallion: NFLRA
The National Football League Referees Association (NFLRA) was awarded the 2023 NASO Mel Narol Medallion Award in Riverside, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 1, during...
2023 Gold Whistle Award: Violet Palmer
Violet Palmer, coordinator of women’s basketball officials for the Pac-12, West Coast, Western Athletic, Big Sky and Big West conferences, received the 2023 Gold...
2023 Sports Officiating Summit historic success
The 2023 Sports Officiating Summit put on by the National Association of Sports Officials in Riverside, Calif. from July 30-August 1 was an event...
Rushing in to Assist
In September 2017, Hurricane Maria tore through the northeastern Caribbean. The deadly Category 5 storm hit Puerto Rico especially hard, causing billions of dollars...
Recruiting & Retention: What Worked…What Didn’t
By Scott T. Glass
Nearly every officials association in the country is experiencing serious membership shortages. Recruiting new officials is a complex, deliberate organizational task...
Doors Opening Wider
Clockwise from top left: Amanda Bender, Maia Chaka, Kelly Dine, Sara Woods, Kaili Kimura
By Tim Yonke
In what could be a blueprint for women seeking...
Our Guide to High School Replay
Since its regular season introduction to pro football officiating in 1986, replay has found its way into nearly all of the major professional sports. Even the so-called beautiful...
I’m Working With Whom?
Partners and crewmates come in all different shapes, sizes and personalities. There are a lot of good ones out there, but then there are...