Chapel Hill Review

Carolina Athletics has announced the introduction of beer and wine sales at the Smith Center and Carmichael Arena, marking a new chapter in its event offerings. This move follows five years of alcohol sales at outdoor sports venues, which began in 2019.

The sale of alcoholic beverages will commence on November 4 at the Smith Center during the men's basketball season opener against Elon. Sales at Carmichael Arena will begin later in November. The initiative emphasizes safety, training, and maintaining a positive atmosphere on game days.

Beverages will be available at 20 locations within the Smith Center and up to six locations in Carmichael Arena, depending on the event. The operations align with state laws, allowing up to two drinks per customer per transaction. Monitoring will be enforced particularly around student sections.

Sales are scheduled to start when doors open and conclude approximately three-quarters through each event. For men's basketball games, this means stopping sales with ten minutes left in the game; for women's basketball games, it will end at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

"Many of our fans have asked for us to expand alcohol sales to our indoor events, and after five years, we think the time is right,'' stated Carolina Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham. "Not only is it consistent with many other events around the country, including NCAA championships and ACC tournaments, but it also adds a key financial stream as we prepare for revenue-sharing with student-athletes."

Further details are expected to be released soon via GoHeels.com and on their app.