CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) – Several changes might be on the horizon for the home of the University of North Carolina football program.
Kenan Memorial Stadium, which has housed the Tar Heels football team since 1927, could soon be referred to by a different name as university leaders are collaborating with a sports marketing agency to identify a potential naming rights partner, according to Rick Barakat, the chief revenue officer for UNC athletics.
Barakat addressed the UNC Board of Trustees in a committee meeting on Wednesday, stating the process to sell the naming rights is already underway.
“We’re going to be looking to be pretty creative with this,” Barakat said.
The university engaged in a partnership with Independent Sports and Entertainment, which specializes in venue naming rights revenue generation opportunities in the college athletics space.
ISE has represented 14 deals so far and is currently in the market with eight universities, including North Carolina State, Appalachian State and Virginia, among others. The group is pursuing a similar naming rights agreement for Carter-Finley Stadium.
“We’re doing a lot of work with folks in this room, across campus, to find more of an integrated, holistic relationship through this naming rights partner that hopefully paves the way and creates a new template for us to utilize elsewhere through traditional sponsorship, and future facility naming rights through athletics,” Barakat said. “So this opportunity not only represents a lot of new revenue for us, but also a lot of innovative thinking and hopefully new applications for the future.”
During Wednesday’s meeting, Barakat made it imperatively clear that UNC plans to retain the Kenan name in some shape or form.
“We need to preserve the Kenan name within the stadium identification, and we’re working on the best way to do that with the family and the Rams Club, and then bring in a commercial brand around that,” he said. “It’s going to be key that we drive some traditional assets in there to prop up the value. It will be a different proposition with Kenan staying on the stadium.”
Kenan Stadium, currently holding a capacity of 50,500 seats, was named after William Rand Kenan Jr. when he donated the venue in 1927 as a dedication to his parents.
The athletics department is considering several new ways to generate revenue, particularly centered around the Tar Heels football program after the hiring of six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick as its new head coach.
Some ideas include adding a concert series, accompanied by a beer garden and student tailgates, at the heart of the UNC campus before football games this fall. These pregame festivities would be held in the area surrounding Polk Place, anchored with a block party and a stage in front of Wilson Library, according to Barakat.
If the proposal moves forward as planned, this marks the first time that UNC has ever played host to officially sanctioned student tailgates, Barakat said. However, university leaders are still clearing all “necessary approvals” and permitting to turn this envisioned game day experience into a reality.
“We’re trying to turn over every rock and find new ways to drive revenue through athletics and the football program,” Barakat said.
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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 12: Ramses, mascot of the North Carolina Tar Heels, poses for a selfie with fans during the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Kenan Memorial Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) -
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 14: North Carolina Tar Heels fans cheer during their game against the Miami Hurricanes at Kenan Memorial Stadium on October 14, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 41-31. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) -
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 11: North Carolina Tar Heels fans cheer during their game against the Georgia State Panthers at Kenan Memorial Stadium on September 11, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
He also stated that event organizers hope to attract over 3,000 students to the main center of campus prior to kickoff, with more tailgating sites for larger groups stationed closer to South Building, which serves as the chancellor’s office.
“Ideally, that whole run is full on game day, very populated, boisterous concert going on, food trucks, beer garden all night,” Barakat said. “So hopefully we can pull that off.”
If permits and approvals are not granted in time for the 2025 season, Barakat said they will continue to host block parties at the Bell Tower and then ultimately move forward with their new game day plans next year.
The Tar Heels are slated to kick off the Belichick era at Kenan Stadium against TCU on Monday, Sept. 1.