George Gansner, Former MLS Referee & FIFA Assistant Referee

Send us Fan MailBall Watching hosts, Jake Koenig and Justin Graham, welcome George Gansner to the show as a special guest interview! George was inducted into the STL Soccer Hall of Fame in 2019 after refereeing in the MLS from 1997-2015 and also as a FIFA Assistant Referee from 2002-2014. Today, George continues to mentor young referees in the art of dealing with all of the extenuating situations that accompany the game of soccer along with the proper interpretation of the rules.In the interview, George talks about his soccer background and his pathway to becoming a referee, his favorite and worst memories on the field, and his current perspective on the state of refereeing in the MLS. In addition, George answers our listener-submitted questions, including specific review of some controversial calls from CITY games.Follow the show on X and/or Instagram (@BallWatchingSTL)! Find our guest interviews and all episodes in video form on YouTube by searching https://www.youtube.com/@ballwatchingSTL. Be sure to hit subscribe and turn notifications on!Hoffmann Brothers is the 2025 presenting sponsor of Ball Watching! Headquartered right here in St. Louis for over 40 years, Hoffmann Brothers is a full-service residential & commercial provider, providing Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing, Drains, Sewer, Water Heaters, Duct Cleaning, Electrical and Appliance Repair services. Visit them online at hoffmannbros.com!Make The Pitch Athletic Club & Tavern (thepitch-stl.com) your St. Louis CITY SC pregame and postgame destination for all your food and drink needs! Tell them your friends at Ball Watching sent you... Shop in-store or online at Series Six (seriessixcompany.com) and receive a 15% discount  on all orders storewide using code "BALLWATCHING" at checkout!