Australia’s inaugural sports officiating summit expects to attract over 1,000 officials

June 9, 2023

Events / Sport /

Australia’s inaugural sports officiating summit - the only dedicated national event for the sports officiating industry - will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre this November.

Delivered over three days from 17th to 19th November, the National Officiating Summit will attract more than 1,000 officials from all sporting disciplines and levels to Australia’s sporting capital, delivering specialist content for the grassroots level through to elite competitions.

Australia is facing a severe shortage of match officials with sports struggling to keep up with the demand for officiating services. This crisis is due to a combination of factors including an increase in levels of verbal and physical abuse of officials, increased competition sizes and reduced retention post-Covid, alongside the ongoing challenge of being an under-resourced area of sport.

The Summit will assemble the largest gathering of officials, educators, administrators, organisations and government representatives from the sports officiating industry. This pioneering event will quickly become a pilgrimage for a sector of sport currently unserved by the sports event calendar.

The multi-day Summit is designed to inspire, educate and connect sports officials through a dedicated program of industry-leading speakers, workshops, expert panels and discussions across all aspects of the industry. The Summit’s exhibition is also set to welcome a range of specialist brands showcasing the best global products and services for sports officiating.

The trailblazing Summit is supported by the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) and the Victorian Government and is expected to draw strong visitation from sports officials across Australia and overseas, delivering up to $2.2 million in economic contribution.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has partnered with the event, providing a natural relationship to sport through its proximity to venues such as Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne and Olympic Parks, AAMI Park and Marvel Stadium.

MCB Chief Executive Julia Swanson notes “Victoria is proud to be the sporting capital of Australia, and that leadership extends beyond the playing field.

“We look forward to welcoming the National Officiating Summit in Melbourne later this year and showcasing not only our city’s sporting credentials but also our city’s flair for hosting exceptional business events.”

With Australia set to host two global events between 2026 - 2032, the pathway opportunity for the nation's next generation of officials is like never before. The National Officiating Summit seeks to be at the forefront of facilitating the growth and success of sports officiating into the future.

For more information, click here for event listing in Australasian Leisure Management Calendar

6th June 2023 - National Sports Convention announces details of 2023 NSC Oration

16th January 2023 - FIFA recognises 29 elite Australian Officials for 2023

9th December 2022 - 2023 National Sports and Physical Activity Convention to present a ‘new frontier’

20th May 2022 - National Sports Convention agrees partnership with IAKS - the International Association for Sports and Leisure

16th May 2022 - New development program a boost for aspiring Oceania hockey umpires and officials

15th March 2022 - New funding to support development of Western Australia’s sports coaches and officials

9th December 2021 - Basketball Australia signs refbook as Officials’ Technology Partner

1st December 2021 - National Sports Convention spotlights relationship between sport and climate change

26th November 2021 - Ongoing need for better governance of national sports federations

27th September 2021 - revolutioniseSPORT releases new features to manage sporting officials’ courses and accreditations

11th September 2021 - Cricket Australia congratulates match officials on appointments for Women’s International Series

31st July 2019 - efficialtec launches extraordinary software for referees and sport officials

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.