Can I get my assignments via Text Message instead of E-mail

This came up in a survey last year. Text messages would be better than e-mail for game updates (cancellations, last minute assignment changes, etc.).

Arbiter has a premium service named “Connected” which does have this feature. It is available on a per-umpire basis for $5.95/yr (there is also a free 14 day trial)

Features include:

Mobile Access
Get last minute assignments and accept them from anywhere through your smart phone. See game schedules and site addresses, view and accept games, update your availability, see game-day weather forecasts and even find phone numbers and addresses of your contacts, partners and assigners—all from your mobile device.

Text Messages
Never waste time showing up for a game that was moved or cancelled at the last minute. With ArbiterSports Connected, you can receive instant notifications of game changes and new assignments right when you need them via text messaging on your mobile device (standard messaging rates apply). Impress your assigner by being the first to accept assignments.

Multiple Email Addresses
Now parents can easily keep informed on the child’s game assignments because ArbiterSports Connected allows you to have notifications sent simultaneously to multiple email addresses. Keep up to date by enabling messages to be sent to your work and personal email inboxes at the same time.

Manage Alerts
Take control of the automated messages and alerts sent from ArbiterSports. Decide which alerts get sent to you and how you’d like to be notified—via email, text or both. Even decide what kind of notification gets sent to which email or text address.

Stay Mobile. We’ll be with you all the way.

No matter what your day looks like, ArbiterSports Connected keeps up with you. Never get off schedule again. Stay informed and in touch with your assignments and locations. Start keeping pace with your fast-paced officiating world. Starting at just $5.95 per year.

As an association, we can also add this feature, but it would have to be added for ALL umpires (or at least paid for for each and every umpire). We are considering merging CSUA and CMSUA Arbiter licences so we don’t pay twice for those umpires who do both games. Since this is the case, buying the text message feature for all umpires may need to involve CSUA executives in the decision.

Current Costs: $8.50/umpire (basic)
Future Costs could be: $6.50/umpire (over 50 umpires – discount) – Connected (for all = $2.95/umpire) = $9.45/umpire – Increase of $0.95/umpire for text messaging for all umpires

This would be reduced by some duplicate costs for payroll ($79 per association)

I will do some testing and some evaluation and see if this is plausible.

Please respond with a “Yes, I am interested too!!” if you want the ability to get text message updates. We would need a good majority of umpires to justify this cost.