Despite what many could think, when it comes to sports, the players don't have the toughest job on the court. In fact, that hard job belongs to the referees, especially when they called against the team the home-court fans are rooting for. However, the refereers make it at least more interesting from time to time.
Especially NBA Referees, because some of them have had a long-list of games behind their back, that almost every fan could recognized them anywhere. That's why the NBA ensures the refereers get a good compensation for the job, as well as to avoid problems related to a game.
In fact, the referees' salary has been growing in the last 40 years. According to Deseret News, in 1983, NBA officials made between $18,000 and $80,000 per season. Another example in 1994, the estimated referee salary was between $72,000 and $177,000.
How much money does an NBA Referee makes per year?
According to the specialized site Career Trend, an NBA referee's salary varies by assignment and years of experience. For example, for new entry-level NBA refereers, the salary begins at $600 per game or $250,000 per year, or if the referee is asigned to the WNBA, the salary begins at $425 per game or an annual salary of $180,000.
When the refeeres get to the senior-level with the NBA, the salary begins at $3,500 per game or $500,000 annually. However, the referee will be eligible for this salary after three to five years of employment with the National Basketball Association.
Also, the senior-level referees get an opportunity to be the officials in an NBA Playoffs game. As well as, a $200 to $4,400 increase on their base-salary per game. This doesn't include all the expenses covered by the NBA, which includes all the free game tickets, signed merchandise such as sneakers and first-class traveling to the games.
