An update on the future of Umpy.
We’re at a decision point, and we want to hear from the community before we choose a path.
Where Umpy is right now
When we launched Umpy, the goal was simple: make it easier for hockey teams to find umpires, and easier for umpires to find suitable games. The community responded — in our first season, 400+ games were assigned through the app and over $35,000 was paid to local umpires.
But running an app isn’t free. App-store fees, hosting, support and ongoing development all cost money — and right now Umpy is funded entirely by us, the founders. That isn’t sustainable forever.
The two paths we’re considering
Option A — Wind Umpy down. With immediate effect, no new games can be listed and no new umpire appointments will be made through Umpy. Games that have already been listed and umpires who have already been appointed will be honoured — those fixtures go ahead as planned. Once those run their course, the app closes for good. To be clear: we wouldn’t keep the app running to the end of the season.
Option B — Move to a small subscription. Users pay $10 a year to continue using Umpy — less than a coffee a month. The fee covers hosting, support and ongoing development so we can keep building the features the community has asked for.
Honestly, we’re not in love with either option. We are committed to making a clear decision soon, and to being upfront with you about it.
What we’d like from you
If Umpy matters to you — as an umpire, a team manager, a club coordinator or a parent — we want to hear from you. Please tell us:
- Which option you’d prefer, and why
- Whether $10/year would change how much you’d use Umpy
- Anything we should be thinking about that we may have missed
Email us at hello@umpy.au or use the contact form. We read every reply.
What this means right now
- Your current appointments are safe. Anything you’ve already arranged through Umpy stays in place. We’re not pulling the rug mid-season.
- No payment is being requested today. We haven’t decided yet.
Thank you
We built Umpy because we believed Perth’s hockey community deserved better tools than Facebook posts and group chats. Hundreds of you proved that was true. Whatever happens next, thank you for trusting us with that.
Tell us what you think.
Your input genuinely shapes which way we go. The contact form below reaches us directly.