GREENSBORO, N.C. — It would have been time for the first round of the Divison I NCAA Tournament in Greensboro. The referees who were supposed to officiate are now without work because of the coronavirus.
Ryan Christian was set to work the Division II NCAA Tournament in Tennessee. It would have started last Friday.
He found out a few days before that it was canceled because of the coronavirus.
"It's disappointing," said Christian. "You work really hard all year to get selected and then once you get rewarded like that, it's taken away. It's very disappointing."
Christian was 1 of 96 referees selected to officiate the Division II NCAA Tournament. He's also an official for college baseball.
"Not only did it take away the NCAA Tournament, but once schools started canceling spring season, I had 20, almost 30, baseball games at the Divison I and II level canceled, taken away."
Christian said he'll miss out making a few thousand dollars while sports are shut down.
"It's the next 30 days of my work that was basically taken away," said Christian.