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Will Biesecker

Professor Malcolm Campbell

UWRT 1104

17 February 2017

Topic Proposal: Flaws in Sports Officiating

Introduction/Overview

In choosing a topic, I wanted to explore something that I had a great interest in, but also

something that I would be able to learn a lot more about through research. With this, I will be

examining the flaws of sports officiating in both collegiate and professional football and

basketball, as well as exploring possible solutions or new methods for the current officiating

systems.

Athletes who compete in college and professional sports are top tier athletes. This means

that the pace of their games are the fastest in the world. In order to comply with these paces,

there must be a proper officiating system in place that is able to follow the games taking place as

closely to perfection as possible. In my research, I will be attempting to discover if the current

systems of officiating, specifically in football and basketball, are truly the best methods possible

in enforcing the rules that often make or break a game. I will also examine why the current

officiating systems are seldom questioned, and look into new possible officiating systems

involving forms of technology.

Sports may be an entertainment industry, but there is a great abundance of money

invested into them these days. With this, athletic contests are not just a game like many people

may believe. The calls made by referees too often determine the results of a game, or even just a
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single play that inevitably costs players and organizations thousands of dollars. In college sports,

bad calls may cost schools money, or even student-athletes future career opportunities. I plan to

explain my findings in money lost by people in the business due to poor officiating, as well as

how a change in the system could minimize these amounts of money.

In my research so far, I have explored pages such as NBRA.com (National Basketball

Referees Association), NBA.com, NFL.com, etc. In further research I hope to find critical

evidence useful in determining if the current officiating systems are working, as I currently have

just researched information about the current systems. I looked into the librarys databases but

had trouble finding information useful for my topic. I have talked to peers, and contacted a man

named Randy Holmes. Holmes operates the Davidson County Recreational Basketball Leagues

refereeing system. He formerly officiated small college basketball games, and I worked with

him officiating recreational games in 2015. He ultimately said that he loved the idea, stating that

he had always wondered if there were possibly a better way to officiate games. He told me

certain areas to question, such as foul calls at the end of games intentional fouls, etc.

My topic is complex in the sense that people do not consider it as often as you may think.

The officiating systems in professional sports are obviously flawed, but people rarely suggest

changing them. Also, no one talks about the amount of money lost by players when they lose a

playoff game, have a statistic taken away, etc. This is why I am interested in examining this

topic.

Initial Inquiry Question(s)

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Is the current officiating system the best possible form of officiating? How much money

do players, organizations, schools, etc. lose from flawed officiating? How can technology be

used in order to improve officiating? Why are officiating system flaws rarely addressed?

My Interest in this Topic

I am interested in sports officiating because it is something that I have done before. I was

only refereeing children in elementary school, but that job made me realize how difficult it was

to perfectly officiate a game of basketball. I know football is very difficult to officiate as well

just from playing experience. I am also interested in money, which is why I am very concerned

with the fact that people in the sports industry are losing money solely due to the officials. I

hope to learn how these officiating systems can be improved, and why they are seldom

questioned.

Next Steps

In continuing my research, I will take multiple steps. I will contact librarians for help,

and search further into the librarys databases. I hope to find statistics, and points of views from

people who are in the business.

I think your topic proposal is very interesting, I have never read an article or anything about this. I
would get rid of some of the extra unnecessary words.

Nicole Renzulli
3:47 PM Mar 15

Resolve

this is very interesting to me because I do not know much about some professional sports. It gives the
reader perspective to an entire new culture in america.
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Mary Haley
10:57 AM Apr 29

Resolve

With enforcing the rules do a lot of refs just miss it in general and what are ideas you have to help that
problem? But this topic is really current and will always be current as well as there is probably loads of
history were one refs call made or broke the team

Nicole Renzulli
3:48 PM Mar 15

Resolve

Yes I can relate as a reader. My dad talks about this all the time and how regardless of the injuries that
athletes endure, sports will continue on forever.

Mary Haley
10:54 AM Apr 29

Resolve

How much exactly are they losing? what else have people lost because f a bad call? Has a refs
mistake ever made a team lose or not even be able to go to the championship game?

Mary Haley
10:59 AM Apr 29

Resolve

If losing a game loses money won't the solution just make the correct team lose the money?

Nicole Renzulli
3:49 PM Mar 15
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Resolve

I looked these up and they are very credible sources. Great job on explaining your sources as well.

Nicole Renzulli
11:14 PM May 1

Resolve

Great idea to pull in other sources rather than just suggesting sources. You actually have outside
opinions and suggestions as to who you can refer to, wonderful idea and provides extra support to the
body of the paragraph.

Mary Haley
11:01 AM Apr 29

Resolve

I think this is an amazing source because he knows first had what is wrong with the system and might
have made some mistakes himself. This is a great source and idea to work with some one who knows
how being a ref really is.

Mary Haley
11:02 AM Apr 29

Resolve

Why do we not suggest to change them?

Nicole Renzulli
3:50 PM Mar 15

Resolve

you questions are very relevant and ideal for your topic, makes me also wonder the same things. It
also presents additional questions the reader may have not even been thinking about.
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Nicole Renzulli
11:13 PM May 1

Resolve

its very important to have a topic that is interesting and relatable to yourself, it allows the writer to be
able to expand and research the material easily and with pleasure rather than having the feeling of
"pulling teeth"

Mary Haley
11:04 AM Apr 29

Resolve

I would talk about your personal experience because to me that would be easy. So, why was it hard?
Also for your reader if they know why being a ref from kids is, they would defiantly understand that a
sport that goes by way faster and is ten times more serious is hard to ref.

Nicole Renzulli
11:10 PM May 1

Replace: I hope to find statistics with I

Nicole Renzulli
11:11 PM May 1

I think its very important to include statistics. Dont hope to find them make it a priority !

Mary Haley
11:05 AM Apr 29

Resolve

Great idea to use actual people.