“We Deserve the Respect. Without Us, There Would Be No Games”: Examining the Experiences of Australian Rules Football Umpires

This article focuses on the responses of 356 Australian Rules football umpires to an online survey conducted from August 2021 to October 2022 regarding their experiences of umpiring. The findings highlighted that 49% experienced verbal abuse at least every couple of games, and 21% had experienced some form of physical abuse while umpiring. With 35% of the sample having less than five years’ experience as an umpire, the results illustrate the need for an environment where umpires are given greater levels of on-field respect, but if this is breached, they should feel supported through the process of reporting abusive incidents and attending any subsequent tribunals. In doing so, the evidence points to a greater chance of their services being retained for the medium- and long-term benefit of the sport. While the sport has highlighted improved recruitment since COVID-19, the retention of umpires should be a priority in all communities and regions across the country.