That's right. Why hire a female just because she is a female?

It should be the best referees getting the job.

An interesting stance Anon, but as a woman gender representation isn't irrelevant to me - and I'm surely not the only fan who feels that way. My OP is about looking for discussion on why there aren't more female refs :) not to debate whether diversity matters.

I feel we do need to recognise that sometimes there are outdated systems in place which prevent the involvement of women (be it the premise women "aren't as good" as men, or even just that women are enticed by other more perceived feminine sports).

Basketball, like all professional sports, can only benefit from diversity in their ranks. I hope they are looking for ways to develop female refs - I just find it interesting that the WNBL seems to retain a far higher percentage of female to male officials.

Booker, I would say new refs on the NBL panel are picked on performance at WNBL, SEABL and state league level etc to see if they are capable of stepping up. Would be interested to know from people who follow those comps closely if there are any women who really standout at that level.

So if it's based on ability why do we have the one that's there? A token appointment if I've ever seen one

Good point Paul - I did see something about Michelle Cosier being trialled at the blitz this year, possibly will be a knock on effect, the more good female refs fed into those leagues, the more choice for the NBL in terms of development.

Hopefully Michelle is genuinely capable of refereeing at that level: she has been unjustifiably fast-tracked the past few years.

She really struggled at U18 Nationals in 2016, yet was allocated to a gold medal game. Next thing I hear she's refereeing WNBL, and now trialing for NBL.

"She really struggled at U18 Nationals in 2016, yet was allocated to a gold medal game."

Watched her over-ref a game there (blew 75% of fouls) and thought "If she reffed herself, she would be fouled off in 5 mins."
I saw her play.

Yes, let's shoehorn minorities and women into everything just because.

I am more worried about people getting the calls right as opposed to what genitals they have.

The main difference I see between the male refs and the one female ref I have seen is that she doesn't have the male tendency to anticipate calls like the men do. Knee jerking guess calls seem to be in the male province. The blondish lady, I think from Qld is one of the NBL's better referees. Doesn't seem to let insecurities affect her either. IMHO. Some of the men seem to suffer from a few!

Just need to make sure the pathway and encouragement is there for female refs at the jr level and the rest will take care of itself.

We already have a female, and before most other pro leagues yet now the complain is basically "more!"

Toni hasn't been on her game this year. There was one play in Cairns v Adelaide where she missed Shorter stepping back onto the half way line right in front of her, missed the fact he didn't plant both feet when coming in from out of bounds and then got the following out of bounds call wrong. I think that was the worst I've ever seen a ref both a single series of plays.

On the original question, I wonder if female refs see the NBL as less attractive than WNBL. The two leagues both represent the pinnacle for domestic refs and a pathweay to international representation.

However, NBL refs seem to cop more abuse and vilification, usually coming from emotionally overwrought and very large people. Does that make NBL a less rewarding and more intimidating experience for refs than WNBL? Are (the current crop of) female refs less inclined to put themselves in that environment?

Is this likely or have I underestimated the crap WNBL refs get hurled at them?

I've noticed that Perth Arena has never had Toni Caldwell refereeing any games yet so I'd like to see her in person before making that call but I enjoy her on the games she does on Tv.

I don't know exactly what the OP is trying to get at but I'd like to believe that if there is a referee out there good enough that the NBL try and lure them to do their games, it seems strange if they don't.

Watched an NBA game the other day and former Indiana Pacer Hayward Workman is now reffing NBA games and it makes me wonder why more NBL and WNBL players aren't transitioning into refereeing once their playing career comes to an end (for whatever reasons that may be injuries/opportunity etc). With the poorer wages a WNBL player will receive you'd imagine that becoming a referee would be an attractive pathway post playing....

Do we know of any former players that are making a name for themselves as refs?