University of North Carolina Men's Basketball Fandom

    The University of North Carolina, or UNC, is a large educational institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina (7).  Established in 1789, it was the first public university in the nation (7).  Today it is a prestigious university offering a wide range of degree programs as well as being home to some of the most well-known and successful athletics programs in the country, including their men's basketball program.  With these successful sports teams comes a large fan base, known as the Tar Heels, which includes fans, students, alumni, and athletes (11).  These Tar Heel fans show their support for the university and the men's basketball program many different ways including, attending or watching games, participating in team send-offs and receptions, carrying on basketball traditions, visiting basketball related campus locations, and connecting and sharing with other fans via social media.

Attendance & Viewership

Crowd at 2023 Victory Over Duke (6)

    The fans of UNC are known to be very loyal and supportive which is demonstrated through game attendance and viewership.  In terms of fans physically attending games at the Dean E. Smith Center, the home arena for the Tar Heels (3), UNC has multiple times, including the past two consecutive seasons, lead the nation in average attendance for their home games (4).  This demonstrates that fans want to physically show their support for the team by being present for any game they are able to attend.  It is an even greater accomplishment to lead the nation in average attendance since the Smith Center is not even the largest arena in the nation (9).  However not all fans are able to attend the games in person due to either no more tickets being available or not geographically being located near Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  This does not stop them from supporting their Tar Heels.  Fans have been known to flock to local bars or hold viewing parties of their own no matter where they are located around the country in order to not miss any of the men's basketball action (10).  This, along with attending games in person, creates a sense of fan unity as people from all over the country can meet other fans who are just like them and can make connections that can last a lifetime, all thanks to their love of the Tar Heels.

Team Send-offs & Receptions  

Send Off Before the 2022 Final Four (1)

    Fans not only show up to support the team during games but they also come out and wish the team luck and congratulate them no matter the outcome when they depart for or return from post-season games (8).  These events are hosted at various places including on campus, at team hotels, or even at the arena hosting the game (10).  The goal of these events is to unite fans and create a sense of a family atmosphere for players even when they are on the road and away from their nation leading crowd.  Fans are normally joined by members of the players families, cheer and dance team members, and the band to get the players excited and prepared to play knowing that they have a supportive group of fans that will always be in their corner.  These events are truly a great fan experience since they allow fans to meet and connect with each other and sometimes even interact with the players and their families.  This helps make the bond of the Tar Heel fandom stronger and creates a supportive environment no matter when or where the team is playing.

Traditions

    Fan traditions surrounding the basketball program are another element of the fandom that run deep.  One of the most historic is rushing Franklin Street, the main road in downtown Chapel Hill just off campus, after beating their rival Duke or winning a national championship (5).  This event has taken place dating back to the university's first championship in 1924 (5).  It allows fans, students, and alumni to all come out and party together sharing these big moments with the team they love.  Occasionally, if the team is playing close by, the bus carrying the players will even make its way onto the street and allow the players and fans to interact and make the moment something that no participant will ever forget.  It is not a special event and it takes no advanced planning to set up, but everyone knows that if UNC gets a big win they should head to Franklin Street to celebrate together with the Tar Heel fandom.  The video below shows fans rushing Franklin Street after beating their rival Duke in the 2022 NCAA Tournament even though the game was held in New Orleans, Louisiana:

Basketball Attractions

    Touring and visiting popular and historic basketball related locations around the beautiful campus of UNC are a must for almost any fan of the Tar Heels.  The two most important are the Dean E. Smith Center, which is the home arena of the Tar Heels (3), and the Carolina Basketball Museum, located adjacent to the Smith Center (2).  The arena itself is like a museum as fans can take in the sights of the iconic venue.  Named after Carolina coaching legend Dean E. Smith, the arena has been welcoming fans since 1986 and will continue to do so for years to come (3).  Fans are able to admire the simplistic beauty of a historic building while also acknowledging all of the successful teams, players, and coaches that have banners hanging in the rafters to celebrate their success and accomplishments with visitors each day.  The Carolina Basketball Museum is home to artifacts, photographs and memorabilia associated with the UNC men's basketball teams throughout history (2).  It is here where fans can truly take a deep dive into the history of their favorite program and learn about important events and accomplishments that came before their time.  This allows fans to feel a deeper connection with the Tar Heels as they can immerse themselves in the history and culture of the program and gain a deeper understanding and connection with the team that they support, while also possibly being able to meet other fans and create a relationship with other members of the fandom.  The video below gives a tour and introduction to the Carolina Basketball Museum:

Social Media Connection

    Some members of the fandom may never get to actually meet each other in person due to various reasons but that does not stop them from finding ways to meet and create friends among other fans via various social media profiles on different platforms.  There are numerous UNC fan accounts, some even being specifically for the men's basketball team.  The goal of these spaces varies from profile to profile, but they often share news, scores, opinions, and information relating to various aspects of the men's basketball program.  This can include discussing player injuries, chatting live during games, giving input about past games, and expressing opinion about national rankings or other relevant topics.  These profiles are spaces for fans, created by fans, which makes them unique places to let one's thoughts and ideas be heard and shared with others who might be having similar feelings.  These platforms allow fans from all over the country to connect and show their support for the Tar Heels in an online space that has no limitations regarding geographic location.  These profiles are not just found on one platform but rather across multiple platforms, including Instagram, X, and Facebook, which offer ample options for fans to find a profile that fits their individual wants and needs.

My Connection

Me and Coach Davis

    The UNC men's basketball fandom is something that I have been a part of for as long as I can remember.  Despite living in the state of Pennsylvania my whole life, I have been and will continue to be a part of this large fandom for as long as I live.  I personally have been able to participate in some of the fan activities listed above including watching every game on television live or on replay, following and commenting on various social media pages, and visiting both the Smith Center and the Carolina Basketball Museum in 2017 following the team's sixth national championship, where I was even lucky enough to get a picture with the trophy and now head coach Hubert Davis.  

Me visiting UNC in 2017

The connections and memories I have made within the fandom are truly something special that I will never forget.  My UNC fan bucket list is not quite complete, but someday I hope to be able to be a part of all the events and activities listed above and show my deep connection to this fandom.

It's a great day to be a Tar Heel!

References

1. Andrews, J. (2022). Students, faculty and staff were joined by Tar Heels fans to send the men's basketball team to New Orleans in style Wednesday afternoon [Photograph]. UNC-Chapel Hill. https://www.unc.edu/discover/final-four-send-off-2022/
2. Campus attractions. (n.d.) UNC-Chapel Hill. https://www.unc.edu/visitors/things-to-do/#:~:text=Carolina%20Basketball%20Museums,-450%20Skipper%20Bowles&text=The%20museum%20is%20located%20on,Arena%20at%20310%20South%20Road
3. Dean E. Smith (1931-) and the Dean Smith Center. (n.d.) The Carolina story: a virtual museum of university history. https://museum.unc.edu/exhibits/show/names/dean-smith-center
4. Delahanty, N. (2024, July 26). UNC basketball leads the country in home attendance for second straight season. Keeping it heel. https://keepingitheel.com/posts/unc-basketball-leads-the-country-in-home-attendance-for-second-straight-season
5. Doherty, B. (n.d.) Tar Heel traditions: Then and now. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. https://www.unc.edu/story/tar-heel-traditions-then-and-now/#:~:text=Rushing%20Franklin%20Street,stakes%20had%20never%20been%20higher.
6. Donna, B. (2023). Crowd at 2023 Victory Over Duke [Photograph]. North Carolina Tar Heels on SI. https://www.si.com/college/unc/basketball/unc-basketball-loudest-home-win-duke-8-23
7. History and traditions. (2019) The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. https://www.unc.edu/about/history-and-traditions/#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20North%20Carolina%20was%20the%20first%20public%20university,Adams%20School%20of%20Dentistry%20(2019)
8. Pace, M. (2022, March 30). 'I wanted to be here to wish them luck.' UNC-Chapel Hill. https://www.unc.edu/discover/final-four-send-off-2022/
9. Sequin, M. (2021, January 14). 9 biggest college basketball arenas. NCAA. https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2020-01-14/these-are-9-largest-arenas-college-basketball
10. Tar Heel fan info. (2024). Carolina alumni. https://alumni.unc.edu/tar-heel-fan-info/
    
11. What's a Tar Heel? (2004). UNC The Graduate School. https://gradschool.unc.edu/funding/gradschool/weiss/interesting_place/history/tarheel.html