Rent a Ref
A marketplace connecting sports organizers with certified officials, backed by automated escrow.
The problem
Amateur sports leagues run on trust, and trust breaks down fast. Organizers book referees who sometimes do not show up. Referees officiate games and sometimes do not get paid for weeks. When multiple officials work the same event and one performs poorly, there is no clean way to hold back that person's payment without stalling everyone else. The financial layer of amateur sports was held together by handshakes and hope.
What we built
We built a marketplace with a financial layer that protects both sides. Organizers browse certified officials, book multiple referees per event, and pay upfront. Funds go into escrow for seven days after the event. If everyone performs well, payments release automatically. If there is a dispute with one specific referee, only that referee's payment freezes. Everyone else gets paid on time. An admin panel gives league managers full visibility into disputes and resolution tools.
Multi-Referee Booking
Book multiple officials for a single event. Each with their own rate calculated by hours. One booking, one payment, individual tracking.
Automated Escrow
Funds captured via PayPal and held for 7 days post-event. Automatic release if no disputes are raised.
Isolated Dispute Logic
Freeze one referee's payment without affecting others on the same event. One bad actor does not stall the entire payroll.
PayPal Split Payments
Real-time payment calculation per referee. Rate times hours, processed and split automatically through PayPal.
Admin Mediation Suite
Full control over held funds. Admin reviews evidence, decides outcome, releases or refunds with documented reasoning.
Official Profiles
Verified certifications, sport specializations, availability calendar, and ratings from past events.
Build timeline
“We had a ref no-show last month. His payment was frozen in 10 seconds. The other three officials got paid on schedule. That is how it should work.”