John Gallante is not your typical baseball assignor. As the founder of the Tri-State Elite Umpires Association, President of United Tri-State Umpires, and Director of Umpiring for Perfect Game in the Northeast, he has revolutionized how assigning organizations operate.
Gallante’s career path was anything but conventional. Initially set to play college baseball, he pivoted to officiating after his father encouraged him to attend a certification course. What began as a side job quickly became his passion. Within a few years, he took the bold step of founding his own umpire assigning organization. Starting with just a handful of umpires, Gallante’s organization has since grown into a dominant force in the region.
Gallante’s early days in officiating were marked by a relentless drive to innovate. He identified inefficiencies in traditional assigning processes and sought to modernize them.
“I started to shift my focus to whether there was a way to operate a high school-level organization more efficiently—a little more forward-thinking, a little more innovatively,” Gallante shared.
Unlike traditional assigning businesses that relied on outdated systems and bureaucratic hurdles, Gallante built his business on accessibility, efficiency, and strategic expansion. Through cold calls, networking, and an unwavering commitment to covering games, his company grew organically. As more leagues and umpires recognized the reliability of his system, the business scaled rapidly.
Many don’t view assigning as a business, but Gallante does. He believes it should be approached with a business mindset, providing a service that ensures games are covered by qualified officials.
“There’s always an avenue for forward-thinking, progressive assigners,” Gallante explains. “We focused on providing a better service not just to leagues but also to the umpires.”
One of his key strategies was privatization. Rather than relying on the cumbersome structures of traditional officiating associations, he created a system where officials felt valued. By eliminating excessive fees, mandatory in-person meetings, and bureaucratic red tape, Gallante ensured that more umpires remained in the game longer.
One of the most impressive aspects of Gallante’s work is his commitment to training and developing new umpires. Recognizing that the officiating industry often struggles with recruitment and retention, he established a structured training program to make umpiring more accessible and rewarding.
“Our goal was to make training as practical as possible. We don’t want people just sitting in a classroom reading a rulebook—we need them on the field, learning in real game situations,” Gallante says.
His two-pronged training program includes beginner courses for new umpires and advanced clinics for veterans. By offering free training sessions and low-cost weekend workshops featuring high-level instructors, his organization ensures that active umpires continually improve their skills while consistently bringing in new recruits.
While many in the industry lament the ongoing umpire shortage, Gallante believes organizations have the power to change the narrative.
“We don’t really have an umpire shortage in our world,” he states confidently. “The organizations struggling with shortages are often the ones that have done nothing to improve the experience for their members.”
His approach prioritizes retention and recruitment through innovation. By eliminating unnecessary requirements and focusing on officials' well-being, he has cultivated a strong, sustainable umpiring network. His emphasis on treating umpires with respect, providing proper training, and leveraging modern tools like social media for recruitment has been instrumental in solving retention issues.
In an industry often slow to embrace technology, Gallante has been a pioneer in using social media and digital platforms to attract new umpires and engage with the officiating community.
“If we’re being honest, the officiating industry is still stuck in 1992 when it comes to social media,” Gallante quips. “But if we showcase the positives—training sessions, success stories, and the real joy of officiating—we can change the perception.”
He actively utilizes Twitter, YouTube, and other digital platforms to highlight the benefits of umpiring, counteracting the negative narratives. By showing umpires enjoying their work and emphasizing the financial and personal rewards of officiating, he has successfully attracted new recruits to the profession.
One of the biggest challenges facing the officiating industry is the treatment of umpires, particularly at the youth level.
“The crazy part is, the younger the age group, the more likely you are to see out-of-control behavior from coaches and parents,” Gallante observes. “An eight-year-old’s game should not have adults losing their minds over calls.”
He believes that educating coaches and setting clear expectations for sportsmanship are critical to improving the officiating experience. Additionally, he isn’t afraid to call out bad behavior publicly, using social media as a tool to raise awareness about the importance of respecting officials.
As Gallante looks ahead, his focus remains on expansion and continuous improvement. He aims to bring his officiating model to new regions, exposing more umpires to a system that prioritizes their development and well-being.
“Our goal is to positively impact more umpires and continue treating them as valued professionals,” he says. “When umpires feel respected and supported, they stay in the game—and that’s how we grow the sport.”
His efforts are already yielding impressive results. With partnerships with high-profile organizations like Perfect Game and growing credibility in the high school officiating scene, Gallante’s impact on the industry is undeniable.
John Gallante is redefining the role of an assigner, setting a new standard in the officiating industry. Through a commitment to innovation, comprehensive training, and fostering a culture of respect for officials, he has built a thriving business that serves as a forward-thinking model for the future of assigning.
