Gotta ask; you think that womens basketball really becoming a thing in the mid-to-late 70's, literally 45-50 years ago, is a main factor in the shortage of good officials now? Are we sure that, this far down the line, there might not probably be a lot of other factors that might now be the reason?
I have a feeling that it might be more about younger folks thinking about getting into the profession are seeing, hearing and maybe have experienced all the abuse that comes with the job, both working your way up and when you finally reach the level you're striving for, and decided they don't need to put up with the B.S. from fans and coaches. Seems like it's become a far bigger problem over the past dozen years. When you have fans and parents coming after you on the floor or in the parking lot, you tend to consider the alternatives.