RACINE, WI — Barry Mano, who founded Referee magazine and the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO), giving sports officials worldwide a platform and a voice for nearly 50 years, has died after a brief battle with a rare autoimmune disease. He was 82.
A Racine native who lived in Union Grove, Wis., Mano created the world’s only monthly magazine devoted to sports officials when he launched Referee in January 1976. Guided by the principle of being “by officials, for officials,” he spent half a century building it into the premier voice for the sports officiating industry.
In 1980, Mano founded NASO to provide protection, benefits, advocacy and professional development to officials at all sports and all levels. The association grew to more than 32,000 members and became the leading advocacy organization for sports officials in the country. Mano served as NASO president for more than four decades before stepping down in 2023.
He remained publisher of Referee and chief strategy officer of Referee Enterprises, Inc. (REI) until his death.
A basketball referee for 23 years who worked at the NCAA D-I level, Mano was inspired to create Referee after witnessing the media’s unfair treatment of his brother, Mark, an NBA official who was excoriated in the Chicago press after correctly waving off a basket during a 1972 Bulls-Lakers game. Despite being vindicated by the league, Mark had no way to defend himself — and no organization existed to speak on his behalf.
“I just felt there was a need to have a publication to address who we are,” Mano once said. “Because we were getting beaten up by the newspapers and nobody was speaking out on our behalf.”
Mano launched Referee with a small group of investors and just four employees, going without a paycheck for more than three years. The magazine turned a profit after three years, went monthly in 1977 and began publishing in full color by 1982. Over five decades, Referee has served as a trusted resource for officials at every level — educating, challenging, inspiring and celebrating officials from all sports and all levels.
Mano was preceded in death by his wife, Jean, in 2024. He is survived by his daughter, Julie, her husband and two grandchildren, of Chicago, and by his brother, Mark.
Mano’s life and accomplishments will be celebrated in conjunction with REI’s 50th anniversary celebration at the NASO Sports Officiating Summit, July 26–28 in Grand Rapids, Mich.
