The baseline
Two per game, per court
The minimum is two referees for every court in use at the same time. Four courts running together means eight referees on court in every slot. That number has no rest built in.
Adding rest
Why you need more than the minimum
3x3 games are short but intense, and a day can have many slots. Referees need breaks, and nobody should do a long run of consecutive games. If each referee works two slots and then rests one, you need about one and a half times the baseline.
Worked example
Four courts, one day
An illustrative example, not a rule: four courts running in parallel need 8 referees per slot. With a rotation of two slots on and one off, you need about 12 referees available all day. Referees who are only there for the morning or afternoon count as a part, so you need more people than that in total.
- 4 courts × 2 referees = 8 per slot
- Two on, one off: about 12 on site
- Part-day availability: plan for more people
Keeping it fair
Experience and difficulty
Numbers are only half of it. Finals and top categories need your most experienced referees, and newer referees need games where they can develop. A schedule that only counts heads ends up putting the wrong people on the big games.
Where RefManager fits
Let autofill do the counting
RefManager 3x3 tracks availability per time slot and assigns referees with autofill, keeping to the rest periods and consecutive game limits you set and matching experience to game difficulty.
FAQ
Questions
How many referees officiate a 3x3 game?
Two, under FIBA 3x3 rules, plus table officials for the clock and score.
Do table officials count as referees?
No. Plan table officials separately: they work the clock and the scoresheet, not the game on court.
How do I know my rotation is fair?
Count games and rest per referee across the day. RefManager's autofill keeps to minimum rest and consecutive game limits for you.
Your turn
See it with a schedule like yours
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