UNC students will be eligible to apply for tickets to home football games through a lottery system starting in October, UNC athletics announced in an email to students on Wednesday.
The decision to allow students to apply for tickets came eight days after UNC announced it would allow around 3,500 fans to attend home games starting in October. That decision came in the wake of an announcement from Gov. Roy Cooper, who said that as a part of the state’s phase 2.5 reopening plan, venues with a capacity of over 10,000 could open at 7 percent capacity starting Oct. 2.
The first game the lottery will come into effect for UNC is the Oct. 10 matchup against Virginia Tech in Kenan Memorial Stadium. In the Tar Heels’ first and only home game to this point — a Sept. 12 matchup with Syracuse — fans, including students, were not allowed in the stadium except for a limited number of players' parents.
Following UNC’s week one win over Syracuse in front of empty stands, head coach Mack Brown said the absence of fans was noticeable.
“It’s just so weird that there’s absolutely no crowd noise,” Brown said. “Even when you have the music or the noise over the loudspeaker, when you’re looking up, it’s just like a scrimmage. Because you look up and there’s just nothing.”
Other universities across the ACC have allowed fans to attend games since the start of the season — including Florida State, Georgia Tech and Clemson — but others, such as Pittsburgh and other North Carolina-based schools like Wake Forest, Duke and N.C. State, have played in front of mostly empty stadiums for home games to this point.
In a press release on Wednesday, UNC athletics announced student tickets will make up more than 25 percent of the total capacity. The release broke down the specifics of how tickets will be allotted and who will get priority.
- First priority will go to the families of players, with up to 500 tickets being allotted to them per home game.
- Around 1,000 tickets will be given through the student ticket lottery.
- Up to 300 tickets will be given to each visiting team.
- Several hundred tickets will be reserved for contracted sponsors and partners.
- Approximately 1,300 tickets per game will be allotted to Rams Club members, with priority given to members who hold premium seats and priority points.
“We are still working out many details — in coordination with health experts and the University — about how fans will be spaced and what services will be offered at Kenan Stadium," the press release said. "Masks will be mandatory, as will adherence to all Campus Community Standards. We will share more details with those attending the games as they move closer.”
