INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA has made a financial investment in two officiating companies – The Arbiter and Excel Sports Officiating (ESO) – and now holds a controlling interest in those enterprises.  The acquisitions further the NCAA’s strategic goal of ensuring fairness within student-athlete competition at the collegiate level while offering guidance to officials serving other amateur sports organizations.

The two companies will collaborate to form a more efficient online destination for officiating.  Features of the effort will include a uniform online system to track the backgrounds, education, and accomplishments of officials; establishing nationwide registration programs for officials and the associations, states, and organizations for which they work; and launching new certification and licensing programs, which will establish consistent performance standards for officials.

The Arbiter, based in Sandy, Utah, is the most widely-used administrative program for game officials in amateur sports and has more than 240,000 registered officials.  ESO provides educational programs and professional development for more than 50,000 officials. Both entities already serve a number of the NCAA’s members, which have recognized the experience and expertise that the companies offer.