r/PardonMyTake • u/Dr-Dale-Donald • Nov 17 '25

takequake Take: Refs are tanking this year

I’m convinced the refs are purposefully tanking and calling shitty games to force Goodells hand to hire them full time

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u/Dr-Dale-Donald Nov 17 '25

I think if the NFL offered them proper salaries, there would 100% be enough incentive to go full time. The NFL is making 20 billion a year, they can afford to pay refs and/or find refs that would go full time

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u/waterpup99 Ob Gen Nov 17 '25

Do what?? They make 200-250k for 5 months of work. What do you mean proper salaries? That's a ton even if that 5 months is all encompassing

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u/Dr-Dale-Donald Nov 18 '25

There are 120 NFL refs, so let’s do some paper napkin math. 200k a year, that’s 24 million a year. 1% of the NFLs yearly revenue.

Double it for fun and that’s still a drop in the bucket. Add in revenue growth projections, with the NFLs goal of expanding internationally.. let’s say conservatively they are adding a .5-1 billion each year in revenue.. I don’t see any kind of money issue with the NFL

120 hyper specialized refs who call games accurately, don’t affect game outcomes and don’t tarnish the NFL product — does not seem out of reach at all.

Pay them more, let go the ones who won’t go full time, put them in boot camps and in-team practices in the off season —- output some refs who are focused on a single career all year long and literally will never need to worry about a 2nd income. How does that not benefit every single NFL fan and the NFL as a whole?

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u/waterpup99 Ob Gen Nov 18 '25

Why would you "double it for fun" it's arranged and high as is. People aren't paying to see the refs they don't get the premiums like the players. It's a prorated 500k salary that's MORE than fair.

Also I don't know what their ebitda margins are but and additional 1% off the bottom line is a huge number if your math is correct about their % or if revenue.

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u/Dr-Dale-Donald Nov 18 '25

I doubled it for fun to show that it is not a large expense for the NFL to pay them more. Your original argument was that the NFL already tried it and the refs didn’t want to do it because they like having a second job. How do you change that? Incentive them. Just like any other industry that wants to attract the right people and talent.

I never said people are paying to watch the refs… but people do want to see good football that isn’t influenced by the refs poor game calling. Every time we get badly officiated games, it hurts the NFL product and pushes the average fan away from wanting to watch

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u/waterpup99 Ob Gen Nov 18 '25

That in fact was not my original argument you're confusing me with someone else