What Ref Insight does

Ref Insight is a private U.S.-based software company that operates a cloud-native sports officiating management platform serving sports assignors, referees, leagues, clubs, and financial administrators ("payors"). Headquartered in Sheridan, Wyoming, and operating as Ref Insight LLC, the company was founded by Sandra Serafini (Co-Founder and Lead Project Manager, with 30+ years in officiating roles) and Joshua Ort (Co-Founder and Lead Developer, with 20+ years building enterprise platforms) to address the operational complexity of assigning, paying, and developing sports officials. The platform is delivered as a web application and native iOS/Android mobile apps, structured around role-specific portals—Officials, Assignor, Competition, and Payor—and modules for Officials Management, Assigning, Communication, Payments, Evaluations, and Scouting & Development. Distinctive technical components include a drag-and-drop assigning interface, a geomapping system that calculates drive times from officials' addresses to venues, unified global profiles for officials across organizations, and minor-protection/SafeSport compliance automation.

The product integrates with the U.S. Soccer Learning Center for certification verification, FairWhistle for safety data, RefSix for smartwatch incident capture, Routable (on Dwolla's ACH network) for payments, Zoom for training attendance, and planned integrations with U.S. Soccer's RefEval and TeamXStream. Ref Insight Pay, the company's payments sub-product, handles ACH, same-day/expedited transfers, checks, and wires, and includes W9 collection and 1099 tax documentation. New customers receive a mandatory 60-day enhanced onboarding program; standard implementation runs 1–4 weeks depending on organization size.

Ref Insight monetizes through tiered annual subscriptions (Small at $594/year up to Association at $15,131/year, with ~10% discount for annual upfront payment), a Custom Enterprise tier for larger associations and multi-sport organizations, onboarding fees ($150–$2,720 by tier), an optional $99/year Payor platform fee for Ref Insight Pay, and $1.30 per-transaction fees on payments processed. Go-to-market is a hybrid of sales-led (demo and quote requests, dedicated enterprise plan) and self-service/inside-sales (online sign-up across multiple pricing tiers with a pricing calculator), supplemented by community-led engagement through NASO Summit sponsorship and content marketing via the company website and social channels. The company has no disclosed external funding and operates as a bootstrapped LLC.

Name

Ref Insight

Legal name

Ref Insight LLC

Website

https://refinsight.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ref Insight provides cloud-based sports officiating management software for scheduling, payments, communication, and official development, serving assignors, referees, leagues, clubs, and payors primarily in U.S. amateur sports officiating.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheridan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Subscription Plans: Tiered annual subscription plans based on user volume (referees and assignors) and assignment limits. Plans range from Small (50 referees) to Association (1,600 referees). Discounts available for annual upfront payment (~10%).
2. Transaction Fees (Ref Insight Pay): Per-transaction fees for payments processed through Ref Insight Pay system. Rate is $1.30 per transaction (batch), invoiced monthly. Used for electronic payments to officials, mentors, coaches, and staff.
3. Ref Insight Pay Platform Fee: Optional annual platform fee ($99/year) for Payor accounts using Ref Insight Pay for payment processing.
4. Onboarding Program: 60-day enhanced onboarding program with personalized training and implementation guidance. Fees vary by plan tier ($150-$2,720).
5. Enterprise/Custom Solutions: Custom pricing and solutions for larger associations, leagues, or multi-sport organizations with complex requirements beyond standard packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ref Insight provides a cloud-based sports officiating management platform that consolidates assigning, payments, communication, evaluation, scouting, and development into one system. The platform serves leagues, associations, and assignors with a drag-and-drop assigning interface, geomapping for optimal official routing, an integrated electronic payment system (Ref Insight Pay) powered by Routable, and native iOS/Android apps for officials to manage their assignments and payouts.

Product overview

Ref Insight is a unified sports officiating management platform built exclusively for the sports officiating landscape. The platform consists of a core management system with multiple integrated modules: the Officials Portal (web and mobile iOS/Android apps) for officials to manage profiles, availability, and payouts; the Assigning Module featuring drag-and-drop interface, flexible assignor permissions, tournament reservation, and linked/bundled assignments; the Officials Management Module with unified global profiles, pool management, and geomapping; the Communication Module with integrated messaging and push notifications; the Evaluations Module for structured performance assessments; the Scouting & Development Module for customizable observations and training tracking; Ref Insight Pay for electronic payments via Routable; the Competition Portal for leagues/clubs to track schedules and reports; and the Payor Portal for invoice management and financial reporting. The platform integrates with U.S. Soccer Learning Center for certification verification, FairWhistle for safety data, RefSix for smartwatch incident recording, TeamXStream for video feedback, and Zoom for attendance tracking. New clients receive a 60-day enhanced onboarding program with training and tutorials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ref Insight Pay: Comprehensive electronic payment system for processing payments to officials, mentors, coaches, and staff, with tax documentation and transaction record features.

Products and services

• Ref Insight Platform Cloud-based SaaS platform that streamlines scheduling, assigning, payments, communication, evaluation, scouting, and development for sports officiating organizations, accessible via web and mobile apps with role-specific portals for officials, assignors, competitions, and payors.
• Ref Insight Pay Integrated electronic payment system powered by Routable (operating on Dwolla's ACH network) that processes secure payments to officials, mentors, coaches, and staff, supports ACH (standard, expedited, next day, same day), checks, and wires, and includes W9 collection, TIN verification, and 1099 tax reporting.
• Ref Insight Mobile App (iOS) Native iOS application providing officials with on-the-go access to assignments, messages, push notifications, availability management, and payout tracking.
• Ref Insight Mobile App (Android) Native Android application providing officials with on-the-go access to assignments, messages, push notifications, availability management, and payout tracking.

Quantifiable outcome

• Drastically reduced time spent on scheduling and assignments (per customer testimonial)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NASO (National Association of Sports Officials)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRef Insight is a NASO Summit Sponsor, supporting education and innovation in sports officiating. This partnership positions Ref Insight within the primary professional organization for sports officials and provides access to the broader officiating community.
• RoutablecoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing partner powering Ref Insight Pay system (operating on Dwolla's ACH network). Routable provides secure electronic payment processing, W9 collection, and tax reporting capabilities that meet federal regulations and requirements for financial security and compliance.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• LeagueApps: Sports league and club management platform with registration, scheduling, and communication features. Competes for the operational technology budget that includes officiating workflows at youth and amateur clubs.
• TeamSideline: Sports team and league management platform offering scheduling, communication, and registration tools for amateur and youth sports programs. Comparable scheduling and communication capabilities to Ref Insight's Competition Portal.
• PlayMetrics: Youth sports operations platform for clubs and academies with registration, payments, and team management. While not focused on officiating specifically, it competes for the same league/club software budget that funds tools like Ref Insight.
• V2 Sports: Sports league management software focused on scheduling, registration, and communication for amateur and youth leagues. Overlaps with Ref Insight's scheduling and competition communication capabilities.

Direct peers

• Assignr: Sport assignment platform used by officials, assignors, and leagues for scheduling, accepting, and tracking game assignments. Closely parallels Ref Insight's drag-and-drop assigning and self-service official workflows.
• OfficialsWeb: Sports officiating management platform focused on assignment, scheduling, and communication for referees and assignors. Closely matches Ref Insight's target audience and core feature set across multiple sports.
• ArbiterSports: The incumbent leader in sports officiating assignment and payment software, used by NCAA, NFHS, and many state associations. Directly competes with Ref Insight in officiating scheduling, assigning, and pay workflows with a broader and more entrenched legacy product set.
• eOfficials: Sports officiating management system used by assigners, leagues, and officials for scheduling, evaluation, and payment processing. Directly comparable to Ref Insight within the officiating vertical with similar assignor and official portals.

Broad incumbents

• SportsTG: Sports tournament and competition management platform used by federations and associations across multiple sports. Overlaps with Ref Insight on officiating scheduling but serves a broader tournament-organizer buyer.
• Stack Sports (SportsEngine / Blue Sombrero): Large youth sports management platform covering registration, websites, scheduling, and communication for clubs and leagues. Touches officiating assignment at the league level but is a much broader incumbent in the youth sports stack.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ref-insight

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ref Insight