TASO warns of audience behavior at games considering official shortage

CHILTON, Texas (KWTX) - Whitney ISD recently took to Facebook to warn their community about spectators' behavior towards officials during games, saying if the disruptions continue, the district may be punished.

Whitney ISD’s post talks about the past disruptions they have seen and mentions how referees have threatened to leave if the fans did not act properly.

However, this frustration is being felt by officials across the state.

Executive Director for the Texas Association of Sports Officials, Michael Fitch, says the number of reports they have received from officials who have been mistreated has increased since the pandemic.

Fitch explains how fast we are losing officials, noting that for every 10 referees, 7 will quit their job within three years.

“We’ve seen an increase of spectators following officials to their cars in the parking lot sometimes surrounding their cars, we have had two instances this year where a spectator started following an official home after the game,” Fitch recalled.

To help with the nationwide official shortage, Chilton ISD’s officials program teaches students how to become referees, shaping the next generation of professionals.

Head teacher James Black says that teaching respect and responsibility to his students can help prepare them for officiating games, and hopefully encourages others to help relieve the pressure from the official shortage.

“If we don’t protect the officials then they will go extinct, and we won’t have any. You can’t have a game without an official, we got to treat them just as well as we treat the players and the coaches, everybody wants mutual respect,” Black said.

Fitch says poll results received from former officials say that abuse is the number one reason referees are leaving the business, but he hopes that changes in spectator behavior will help the issue.