In 2023, the leading soccer referee assignor in Minnesota, was in a tough spot. MAT Assigning had grown to assign over 10,000 games per year and there just weren’t enough hours in the day. The leagues, clubs and tournaments working with MAT Assigning were great, but scheduling and paying over 2,000 referees was becoming mountain of administration. And to make matters worse, MAT Assigning’s software, GameOfficials.net, announced it was shutting down. After a grueling search for a new solution, MAT Assigning partnered with Notch. “Notch not only offered modern official scheduling, but just as importantly, they delivered real-time, integrated payment, and that saves me considerable time and money.” - Matt Tiano, CEO MAT Assigning.
Matt Tiano, founder and CEO of MAT Assigning, and former collegiate soccer referee, serves soccer leagues, clubs and tournaments in and around the Minneapolis area, with their clientele being the largest and most established soccer clubs in the Twin Cities. Their mission is to assign soccer matches with an unprecedented level of reliability, service and attention to detail and to build long-standing relationships with our partners.
Before making the switch to Notch, MAT Assigning was using Game Officials as their scheduling software. They were paying their referees through ACH which resulted in an expensive and laborious process every week. When Game Officials was purchased by Stack Sports, it led Matt to find a new and improved replacement assigning and payment software. That is when Matt came across Notch. He liked the modern and intuitive interface, along with the functionality and Venmo-like integrated payment aspect. Overall, he saw how it would significantly reduce his workload and cost.
“Switching to Notch, I was able to take advantage of the Auto Top-Off feature that gave me the ability to set-it-and-forget-it”
Notch is all about efficiency and saving time for assignors. MAT Assigning is proof of reaping the rewards by saving time.
❌ Before Notch:
✅ After Notch:
This time savings has freed up staff to focus on higher-value tasks like training new referees, communicating with clubs, and managing tournament logistics.
With Notch, you can easily drag and drop assignments based on referee availability, or allow for self-assign and quickly fill up games.
❌ Before Notch:
✅ With Notch:
The net result is better game coverage, fewer last-minute scrambles, and a higher level of professionalism in how games are staffed.
Notch’s automated payment system has been a game-changer for referee engagement. Referees now expect and appreciate being paid quickly after each assignment, with many receiving funds the same day.
One official put it simply:
“The money comes at you fast!”
This has translated into stronger demand for assignments:
“We believe that the speed at which referees are paid has created a demand for assignments not seen before.” — Matt Tiano, MATT Assigning
Referee reliability has also seen significant improvements:
Referees consistently cite Notch as a major improvement over previous systems:
Notch is here to support you in every step along the way. We take our customer service seriously and you can be talking to a real person at Notch within minutes.
“The Notch team doesn’t just respond — they anticipate. Their support feels more like a partnership than a vendor relationship. They actually listen and adapt based on real-world needs.”
For MAT Assigning, the decision to adopt Notch has yielded significant returns. Not only have they reduced administrative overhead, but they’ve also elevated the entire experience for referees. As assignors look to the future of official management, MAT’s experience with Notch offers a compelling example of what’s possible when technology is used to empower—not replace—human connection in youth sports.
“Notch has completely changed how we assign. It's faster, smarter, and just works. But more than that, it’s made our referees happier — and that’s the real win.” — Assignor, MAT Assigning
