The Standby Referees Duties Documented

Just so you don’t think I made this stuff up.  Standby officials exist in playoff games, in college and at the professional level. They do exist in some capacity in high school sports. These are some of the procedures used.

Standby Procedures

Standby Official ResponsibilitiesThe standby official shall be in full officiating uniform, including whistle and jacket and prepared to enter the contest to officiate, if needed.

1. Supplies needed. Standby Forms (2), pencil/pen, Rulebook, stopwatch (supplied by tournament manager).

2. Officials’ pregame meeting. Attend the officials’ pregame meeting.

3. Position at scorer’s table. Sit between the scoreboard clock operator and the timeout coordinator and advise game officials of any mistake or malfunction concerning the game clock and/or 30-second clock as soon as possible and be responsible for the stopwatch that will be supplied by the tournament manager.

4. Complete forms. During the course of the game:
5. Standby Official Form — Document information noted.
6. Postgame Video Breakdown Review Form — Note the half,

time on the clock and brief description of plays the crew may want to review in the locker room after the game.

1. Complete and submit Technical Foul Form.
2. Assist game officials. If asked by the game officials, be

prepared to advise them of or assist them with:

1. The number of the player who committed a foul or was fouled;

1. Substitutions – who entered or left the game;
2. Replay review — be prepared to facilitate getting audio and video feeds from the television truck for review; keep headset on to hear what the talent is saying and watch the TV monitor to know what they are showing to the broadcast audience.

1. Pertinent information concerning any matter of officiating and/or rules interpretations (e.g., three-point shot, last second shot, ball not passing through the basket, scoring mistakes, participants in a fighting situation, bench personnel who enter the court during a fighting situation, etc.).

6. Television timeouts. Notify the timeout coordinator when the game officials have signaled that the timeout has begun. That notification shall be the standby official’s only involvement in the coordination of television timeouts.

7. Follow any other directions by the referee of the officiating crew.

8. Start time of following game. Instruct the clock operator to stay at the scorer’s table after the first game of the session until the basketball committee member has determined the start time of the second game and the clock has been started