How do we as referees work out our worth? There has to be some sort of hourly way or you'd never get to a conclusion - would you?Im not sure 'minimum wage' is the way to look at it as has been discussed here already. It's purely about whether the money is enough for you, alongside the development/progression side of this hobby too. I earn roughly £350 a month from refereeing. Im stable financially and I'm in my mid 30s. I'd like to progress to a level 5 and see if further progression is possible for me and if my life outside of Football could work alongside the travelling etc. Is roughly £30 a game enough for me? I suppose it is at the moment all things considered. If I was 16 then it certainly would be. Would it be enough when I'm mid 50s and only doing 1 game a weekend and no interest in progression, id suggest not but I may well think differently.
For comparison, the local cricket league I play in has struggled for both players and umpires over the last few years. Last year they increased the umpire fees to £50 from £25. Every match was covered across the season for the first time in a number of years. Cricket has the same issues with player reduction and financial difficulties. In fact the numbers are considerably worse on the playing side. This isn't to say that doubling the fee would work in football, As there's a different dynamic. But it has absolutely worked in cricket and it's something to consider when you consider the shortage of referees in some areas. I did a County Cup game this weekend and the home team hadn't played 2 fixtures this season as there was no ref.