Umpire Assignments

Assign umpires to games and manage coverage for your league’s schedule.

Assignment Modes

Blue supports two assignment modes:

Self-Assignment Mode (Regular Season)

• Umpires browse and claim available games
• First-come, first-served
• Reduces administrative workload
• Umpires have schedule flexibility

Admin Assignment Mode (Tournaments)

• Administrators assign umpires directly
• Full control over crew composition
• Ideal for playoffs and special events
• Ensures balanced workload distribution

For high-volume tournament assignment with a Gantt timeline, umpire pools, and drag-and-drop, see the Tournament Assignment Page.

Viewing Game Requests

When self-assignment is disabled for a game, umpires can request games to express interest. You’ll see these requests when editing a game:

1. Open the game details
2. Look at the Requests panel on the right side
3. See which umpires have requested the game
4. Umpires you assign will show a green checkmark

Assigning Umpires

Inline Assignment from the Game List

Admins can assign umpires directly from the game list without opening the edit drawer:

1. On the Games page, click Admin View in the toggle above the game table
2. Open positions now display a searchable dropdown instead of a Sign Up button
3. Click the dropdown on any open position and type to search for an umpire
4. Select an umpire — they are assigned immediately
5. To remove an umpire, click the × button next to their name and optionally provide a reason

From the Edit Drawer

To assign an umpire using the full game editor:

1. Click the edit button on any game to open the game drawer
2. Click in the empty assignment field for the position you want to fill
3. Search and select from available users (umpires and admins)
4. Click Save to confirm the assignments

Reordering Positions

You can change which position an umpire is assigned to by dragging and dropping:

1. Open the game details
2. Grab the grip icon next to any assigned umpire
3. Drag them to a different position slot
4. Click Save to confirm the changes

This is useful when you need to swap Plate and Base positions or rearrange a 4-umpire crew.

Removing Assignments

To remove an umpire from a game:

1. Open the game details
2. Click the × button next to the umpire’s name
3. Enter a reason for the removal (required)
4. Click Remove Umpire to confirm

The umpire will receive an email notification explaining why they were removed from the assignment, including the reason you provided.

Mobile

Admins can also manage umpire assignments from the Blue Mobile app when editing a game:

1. Open a game detail page and tap the pencil icon to edit
2. Scroll down to the Assignments section
3. Tap the Assign button on any open position to open the umpire picker
4. Search for an umpire by name and tap to select them
5. To remove an existing assignment, tap the × button and provide a reason (required)
6. Tap Save Changes — all assignment changes are saved together with any other edits

Viewing Assignment Status

Quickly see coverage status:

• Green - Fully staffed
• Yellow - Partially staffed
• Red - No umpires assigned

Assignment Reports

Generate reports showing:

• Games needing coverage
• Umpire workload distribution
• Assignment history

Next: Learn about managing your Umpire Roster.