WILLIAMSBURG — Thanks to his YouTube Channel, Williamsburg resident Noah Katz is living his dream, umpiring at some of baseball’s biggest stadiums alongside the Savannah Bananas, a nationally touring exhibition barnstorming team.
Katz started The Umpire Channel as a way to educate the next generation of umpires. Through video classes and interviews with umpires at all levels, Katz’s channel provides education and the tools to become a successful umpire.
The channel has now amassed over 370,000 subscribers, and Katz has been able to fulfill many of his dreams on the field.
This weekend, Katz will umpire the Savannah Bananas series in Richmond. While umpiring the game in Richmond is close to home, it’s also meaningful to Katz in a different way.
“It’s a bucket list item for me. I grew up going to games there. It’s such a cool stadium that has such a cool atmosphere. I always dreamed of playing in stadiums like those, and to get to umpire close to my hometown, there is nothing like getting to do what you love in front of your hometown,” Katz said.
While umpiring games with the Savannah Bananas is one part of his job, Katz also finds time to film content with referees and league officials across all sports.
“I’m traveling pretty much every week to a different city. I’m doing a lot of stuff with the Bananas with their games at MLB stadiums and NFL stadiums. It’s such a surreal experience and it’s really turned into a dream life for me,” Katz said.
A rising senior at Clark University in Massachusetts, Katz also recently won the WooTank Intercollegiate Showdown, a Shark Tank-style business pitch competition. His $3,750 prize will help fund The Umpire Channel with new cameras and equipment.
“I love doing that kind of thing. I ended up winning the business pitch competition. I got some really good funding and I made a lot of great connections that will be helpful for the future of the channel,” Katz said.
In addition to the grant money, Katz also earned the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at a Worcester Red Sox baseball game.
In between balancing school and his business, Katz also competes for the Clark University cross country team. After graduating in 2026, Katz is planning to make The Umpire Channel his full-time career.
“The Umpire Channel is at the top of my list when it comes to a job post-college. We’re now at the point where it’s feasible for me to make a career out of this. In the next year, I just want to continue to build on the momentum that we already have going for us,” Katz said.
To learn more, visit theumpirechannel.com.