New technology from startup ventures is transforming the sports industry. The mission of this series will be to introduce startup companies in the sports technology space to a broader audience and allow Founders of promising new ventures to tell their story. Feel free to contact us if you know of a startup that should be considered for this series.
Company: Rent-A-Ref, LLC
CEO: Michael Radchuk
Headquarters: Riverside, California
1. What is your elevator pitch?
Rent-A-Ref is a platform that connects leagues, teams, coaches and sports enthusiasts with referees for their sports events. We believe that everyone deserves a fair game, & strongly believe that Referees available through the Rent-A-Ref platform will provide you a piece of mind. Request, pay, sit back, and let Rent-A-Ref take care of the Referees for your sports event.
2. Problem & Solution
Multiple Problems:
- Referee Associations charging teams and hardworking Referees/Umpires a fee to assign them games.
- Referee has to constantly block and open up their schedule on current platforms instead of working on “whenever I want to” bases like Uber.
- When a Referee cancels last minute, it takes too long to provide a new official to arrive at the game, sometimes leaving games without referees or umpires.
- Leagues, teams and friends who have pickup games are in need of referees to be the “Middle Man”. It’s about the teams and fans, but without Referees there is no game, it is always just a scrimmage.
- Referees are always looking for games but sometimes do not know where to find them.
Solution:
Provide a platform via web and eventually via a phone app where the Requester (someone who needs a referee/umpire) can post the sport/time/place/etc. and pre-pay for the referee. On the flip side, a referee will have an account. Based on their settings, choice of sport(s) to referee and location, they will be notified that games are available in their area. The referee will be able to log-in and accept the game + paid directly to their bank account.
Short version:
Leagues, teams and sports enthusiasts need referees for their sports event in order to provide a real and competitive game environment, but do not know where to find them. Rent-A-Ref solves that problem by providing a platform to connect the Referees and those in need of Referees. In addition, Referees looking for games, are provided with a streamlined process to find more games.
3. Market – your target market and the overall market
Target markets are Social, Adult and Coed Leagues, teams, coaches and sports enthusiasts. In addition to providing referees for pickup games, Rent-A-Ref currently provides officials for Waka, LASportsNet, ZogSports, SoccerPickUpGames.com and corporate events ran by Adidas Soccer. Eventually we would like to test out the youth market as well.
4. Business Model – how do you make money?
Rent-A-Ref charges the Referee Requester a fee per game assignment for up to 3 Referees per game.
5. Management Team – with titles
Michael Radchuk – Founder and CEO
6. What else do you want the audience to know about your venture?
Rent-A-Ref will not only provide a streamlined process to find referees, but it will also provide additional part time gigs for those in need to make money. Students in college can take up games to help cover their book fees or meals. In addition, we are out to create awareness that Referees are an important part of the game and without them it is not a game, it is just a scrimmage.
Bonus Question:
If you were to invite any CEO to dinner who would it be and why?
Robert Herjavec (Shark Tank) – a genuine and down to earth individual. A businessman who has orchestrated and shown how to be a successful entrepreneur. A great role model who I would love to sit down with to chat and pick his brain about business.