# Mic'd Up

> Mic'd Up is a wearable microphone and app for sports referees that records game audio and provides AI-powered communication breakdowns — covering bench exchanges, de-escalation, call explanations, and partner communication — so officials can review, reflect, and develop the skills that get them promoted.

## Company

- **Legal name:** Elements Athletics Inc.
- **Product name:** Mic'd Up
- **Founded:** 2024
- **Founders:** Tamara Jarrett, Mark Lootens
- **Headquarters:** Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- **Category:** Referee communication tool / officiating development platform
- **Sports supported:** Basketball, soccer, hockey, and all sports with referees

## Product

Mic'd Up consists of two parts:

1. **A small wearable microphone** ($60, one-time) that clips to a referee's uniform and records game audio.
2. **A companion app** that processes the audio using AI and generates a timestamped communication breakdown — bench exchanges, de-escalation moments, partner communication, call explanations.

The referee controls their own data. Nothing is shared unless they choose to share it. Recordings are encrypted and deleted 30 days after the season ends.

## How It Works

1. **Wear it.** Small mic clips to your uniform. Stays out of the way.
2. **Upload.** Drop your audio into the app. You control who sees it.
3. **Review.** See your communication broken down by moment.
4. **Apply.** Share with a mentor, use in a report, or keep it private.

## Pricing

### Individual Referees (B2C)
- **Device:** $60 (one-time, free shipping, 30-day money-back guarantee)
- **First month:** Game analysis free
- **Subscription:** $25 USD / $30 CAD per month in-season (cancel or pause any time)

### Associations & Programs (B2B)
- **U13 & below / university intramurals:** $2 per scheduled game/month (sportsmanship incident detection + sharing)
- **U14 & above:** $5 per scheduled game/month (full analysis + mentor sharing)

### Evaluator (Companion Product)
- **With Mic'd Up:** Free — included with every program subscription
- **Standalone:** $10 per active evaluator per month (most associations cover this for their evaluators; pause anytime in off-season)
- Evaluator gives evaluators one place to capture their writeup — no spreadsheet to retype it into later. The finished evaluation is delivered to the official as a private link they can open on their phone. No app, no login. Runs in any browser, built for the sideline. Learn more: https://getmicdup.com/evaluator

## Key Features

- Timestamped communication breakdown after every game
- Automatic rulebook comparison (flags inconsistencies between in-game explanations and actual rules)
- Share individual clips or full games with mentors — no account needed on their end
- Encrypted audio — private by default
- Pause between seasons — data deleted 30 days after season ends

## Privacy Principles

1. **The user controls their data.** Only the referee can see/hear what gets recorded. They choose what to share.
2. **Data is not retained indefinitely.** Deleted 30 days after the season ends.
3. **User data is never sold to third parties.**

## Partners & Users

- Hockey Alberta
- Alberta Soccer
- University of Calgary
- Alberta Basketball
- 100+ individual officials

## Research & Citations

1. Referee.com — "Effective Communication Improves Perception of Your Skills"
2. NFHS Officiating Research, 2017 — Only 2 in 10 officials return for their third year
3. Ridinger, Warner, Tingle & Kim — #1 recommendation to improve retention: "provide mentors and training"
4. Taylor, Batey, Powell et al. (2025) — Organizational support is 12× more predictive of referee development than mental toughness
5. Burgers et al. (2023) — Officials who acknowledge a player's perspective are rated as more respectful and skilled
6. Hoffmann, MacMahon & Brand (2024) — Game Management Framework

## Testimonials

> "Officials want to use it for hockey and soccer too. Less player discipline now — it works and does its purpose."
> — Ian Munn, Coordinator of Intramural Sports, University of Calgary

> "The product recognition is growing, and once this system is widely adopted, referees, coaches and players can expect a safer, more respectful event, with an environment for growth."
> — Adrienne, CBOA Referee

> "You don't know how you communicate until you listen to yourself. Mic'd Up will show you how you communicate with coaches, players, and fans."
> — Emanuel Wilson, 25-Year Veteran Official — Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qjRalI3_0fQ

## Media Coverage

- **University of Calgary:** "How a UCalgary Startup Is Helping Refs Feel Safe Again" — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6MqUO84jEs
- **CBC News:** "Calgary startup tackles referee abuse with microphones and machine learning" — https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-startup-micd-up-elements-athletics-ai-machine-learning-ref-abuse-1.7562729

## Pages

- **Home:** https://getmicdup.com/ — Product overview and value proposition
- **For Referees:** https://getmicdup.com/for-refs — Individual referee pricing, FAQ, and the communication gap in officiating
- **For Mentors & Associations:** https://getmicdup.com/for-mentors — Program pricing, use cases for associations and camps
- **Evaluator:** https://getmicdup.com/evaluator — Evaluation software for officiating associations (free with Mic'd Up, $10/evaluator standalone)
- **Demo:** https://getmicdup.com/demo — Interactive post-game analysis demo
- **Order:** https://getmicdup.com/order — Individual device purchase ($60, free shipping)
- **Program Order:** https://getmicdup.com/program-order — Bulk device ordering for associations with volume pricing
- **Blog:** https://getmicdup.com/blog — Articles on referee development, officiating culture, and feedback systems
- **Privacy:** https://getmicdup.com/privacy — Privacy policy and data handling principles
- **Program Terms:** https://getmicdup.com/program-terms — Terms and conditions for association programs

## Blog Articles

- "Can You Handle The Truth? Why Referee Feedback Is Broken" — https://getmicdup.com/blog/why-referee-feedback-is-broken
- "Why Surveys and Body Cameras Failed Referees — And What Might Work Instead" — https://getmicdup.com/blog/why-surveys-and-body-cameras-failed
- "Why Coaches Yell at Referees — And How Being Heard Changes Everything" — https://getmicdup.com/blog/why-coaches-yell-at-referees
- "What 50 Years of Officiating Teaches You About Judgment, Trust, and the Spirit of the Game" — https://getmicdup.com/blog/50-years-of-officiating
- "Why Coaches Go After Referees (and How That Teaches Athletes the Wrong Lessons)" — https://getmicdup.com/blog/why-coaches-go-after-referees
- "How Referees Actually Improve: Mentorship, Dialogue, and Why Video Alone Isn't Enough" — https://getmicdup.com/blog/how-referees-actually-improve
- "Referee Shortages Aren't Just About Abuse — They're Also About Overuse" — https://getmicdup.com/blog/referee-shortages-and-overuse

## Contact

For association pricing or partnership inquiries, visit https://getmicdup.com/for-mentors#contact

## Extended Information

For comprehensive product information, see: https://getmicdup.com/llms-full.txt