In this special episode, the District 2 Sports Podcast welcomes one of the most respected officials in college basketball — Roger Ayers — fresh off working the 2025 Final Four and the 2024 NCAA National Championship Game.
A Southwest Virginia native with decades of experience officiating in the ACC, ODAC, and beyond. Ayers gives us an exclusive look into the life of a high-level college basketball referee. From high-pressure calls in front of 70,000 fans to the preparation that goes into March Madness, Roger shares incredible insight into the game from a perspective few ever hear.
We dive into:
-
His journey from Virginia high school gyms to the NCAA's biggest stage
-
What it takes to earn a Final Four assignment
-
Behind-the-scenes moments from the 2024 title game
-
How referees handle criticism, pressure, and split-second decisions
-
The changing landscape of officiating in the modern era
Whether you're a fan, coach, or aspiring official, this episode offers a rare peek behind the whistle.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.