Football has to be the easiest. There are so many refs that the scope of what each one has to cover is so focused. NBA is really fast action and a lot of guys in a small space. MLB is more subjective in Balls and Strikes and you play the biggest part of determining the outcome. Soccer is probably the most physically demanding. I don't know **** about hockey. That was be the worst job on earth.
Interesting question. Basketball is the pretty easy answer to me. It's super subjective, fast-paced, and subject to more in-game scrutiny/argument than a lot of other sports imo (esp. with only 3 refs for guys to target). I wish it worked like hockey where they'd argue for a sec, then shut up and deal with the consequences--even if it's a bad call. edit: I think an important note is that basketball has a high number of calls. Probably the most # of calls / most # of subjective calls that are made in a game. That creates more opportunity for argument and scrutiny mentioned above
Baseball probably has the most number of calls total when you consider how many ball/strike calls there are in any given game. Now if you get into how many calls in a baseball game are really subjective, there probably tend to be less than 25 per game adding in borderline pitches and safe/out calls.
Well, soccer doesn't let officials review any of their calls through replay, so that means they absolutely have to get it right, no second chances. In fact, they use hardly use any technology. Not to mention soccer refs also have to be in prime physical condition, as their running up and down the field for 90 minutes. They also have to discern between divers and actual fouls (although thats true for any sport, but soccer is flopper capital), and can't let crowds of 20,000 to 60,000 fans influence . But what do I know, I'm just a guy who loves making out with a girl after getting head.
For clutchfans? Hockey, none of you can skate well enough to do it I've reffed basketball, it's not easy as you think, there's a lot of calls and players and coaches are always harping at you all game long I guess soccer is hard too because you need to be in the right angle to see everything on a huge huge pitch.
they don't always get it right either, but they have absolute authority, if people complain they just card them
I don't know much about soccer, but i have to say, as a biased basketball fan, i would say basketball. There's just so many rules, so many angles, so much physical contact, everythings so fast, its seem extremely hard to officiate.
I think it's easier to say basketball because they've had some of the worst offenders. The replacement refs of 2012 showed that the NFL isn't easy despite the crew consisting of so many refs.
Basketball is probably the hardest, a lot of it having to do with the emergence of the flopping epidemic. But that is stil not an excuse fore being easily the worst officiated sport in the world
I don't know how football refs mark a spot or determine possession after a fumble. Baseball's difficult for close base calls and I'm not sure how they objectively set a strike zone. But I think basketball has too much going on to catch or call everything, so I assume there's a lot of triage and verbal warnings. I think football refs probably get a lot more crap from coaches: legitimate and detailed stuff that they genuinely consider, not the goofy Abbott and Costello **** like in baseball.
easily basketball with how fast pace the action is and how much physicality there is with only 3 refs. why haven't the nba added another ref?
Some of both, plus ego. IMO, as a fan, you should never even know the names of the refs. The game isn't about them and the officials in the nba often make it a point to "make a name for themselves." Joey Crawford being the most obvious example but there are a dozen others Not to mention, there is often just total incompetence on the part of the refs, maybe lack of training
Watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I've been impressed with how good the refs are. Super fast sport and they catch a bunch of stuff. Sometimes they'll go review stuff like whether it was really a goal or whether a high stick should be a 2 minute minor, 4 minute double minor, or 5 minute major but they usually got it right the first time. And the reviews take less time than any of the other sports. I think that's because it's tied into the central league office like the NFL is going to adopt this year.
Basketball. The problem with basketball is that it is non-contact sport but there is a lot of contact, there are so many judgement calls. Also many rules are not upheld consistently in Basketbal (travel, etc).
I'd have to say Womens Beach Volleyball! Your concentration skills have to be top notch, you have to drink beer from a plastic bottle (beach),plus the nachos are often stale!... ....... ....... .......