Ballarat Football Umpires Association chairperson Justin Davey fears the COVID-19 crisis could have an impact on his organisation's ability to keep and attract numbers in the future.
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Like many clubs and groups, Davey said the BFUA had maintained a strong connection through social media during the pandemic, but was unsure how things would look later this year or next.
"We think it could (have an impact), but we really don't know until we get going again," he said.
"There's good signs with the social media stuff that we are getting a lot of activity and people are staying connected.
"But that is a possibility and I think that's probably the same with clubs too. There might be people that just say they'll write this season off and then you have got to try and get them back next year."
Davey said the BFUA's primary source of income had been halted with football on hold throughout the region and was keen to get going when allowed by the state government.
The BFUA officiates matches across the AFL Goldfields region and has training bases in Ballarat, Castlemaine and Bacchus Marsh.
