RoanokeFan
05-10-2012, 04:26 PM
NFL IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT OFFICIALS (http://www.profootballweekly.com/2012/05/10/nfl-identifying-potential-replacement-officials)
"The NFL has asked its officiating-scouting department to begin identifying
potential replacement officials for the 2012 season, according to a letter
obtained by FOXSports.com.<div class="m10l m10r"><div class="story_body line ">
The move is the result of an apparent impasse in labor negotiations between
the league and the NFL Referees Association over a new contract for NFL
officials. The previous deal, which was negotiated in 2006, expired at the end
of the 2011 season.</p>
“This is a contingency plan to make sure the NFL season will continue on
schedule as planned,” Ron Bayne, the NFL’s director of recruiting officials,
wrote to FOXSports.com.</p>
According to the directive, the search will target recently retired college
officials, as well as current “lower-division college, professional league and
semi-professional league officials whose window of opportunity for advancement
has pretty much closed but who have the ability to work higher levels but just
got overlooked.”</p>
NFL Referees Association executive director Tim Millis told The Associated
Press that he was “surprised by the timing” of the league’s directive to begin
identifying potential replacement officials.</p>
The NFL used replacement officials in 2001 during the preseason and Week One
but then reached a new five-year agreement after the first week of the regular
season.</p>
NFL officials are believed to have earned between $70,000 and $140,000
annually under the previous agreement, according to FOXSports.com, working
approximately 20 games per season and also spending time reviewing the rules and
studying game videotapes. Most NFL officials hold full-time jobs in addition to
their NFL duties."</p></div></div>
"The NFL has asked its officiating-scouting department to begin identifying
potential replacement officials for the 2012 season, according to a letter
obtained by FOXSports.com.<div class="m10l m10r"><div class="story_body line ">
The move is the result of an apparent impasse in labor negotiations between
the league and the NFL Referees Association over a new contract for NFL
officials. The previous deal, which was negotiated in 2006, expired at the end
of the 2011 season.</p>
“This is a contingency plan to make sure the NFL season will continue on
schedule as planned,” Ron Bayne, the NFL’s director of recruiting officials,
wrote to FOXSports.com.</p>
According to the directive, the search will target recently retired college
officials, as well as current “lower-division college, professional league and
semi-professional league officials whose window of opportunity for advancement
has pretty much closed but who have the ability to work higher levels but just
got overlooked.”</p>
NFL Referees Association executive director Tim Millis told The Associated
Press that he was “surprised by the timing” of the league’s directive to begin
identifying potential replacement officials.</p>
The NFL used replacement officials in 2001 during the preseason and Week One
but then reached a new five-year agreement after the first week of the regular
season.</p>
NFL officials are believed to have earned between $70,000 and $140,000
annually under the previous agreement, according to FOXSports.com, working
approximately 20 games per season and also spending time reviewing the rules and
studying game videotapes. Most NFL officials hold full-time jobs in addition to
their NFL duties."</p></div></div>