The Belichick Effect Comes With a Price Tag

While the “Bill Belichick Effect” is causing a lot of people around Chapel Hill to be excited, many North Carolina fans may need to create gameday budgets.

UNC experienced a meteoric rise in gameday affordability, with the total cost for two fans attending a home football game increasing by 56.1% compared to last season. The rise of expenses represents the largest price hike among all schools ranked in the top 100, according to a recent study from Oddspedia.

UNC — Dec 28, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; The North Carolina Tar Heels run onto the field before the 2024 Fenway Bowl against the Connecticut Huskies at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The report reveals that the average expense for two fans to enjoy a game at Kenan Stadium now stands at $267. This figure includes tickets, food, beverages, and parking, placing UNC’s gameday experience as the ninth most expensive across the NCAA. Additionally, the cost of two tickets alone has climbed to an average of $180.

To put this in perspective, it cost $171 for the average expenses of a Carolina football games. That’s only nine less than what two tickets cost this season.

This sharp increase is largely driven by major shifts in college sports, including revenue-sharing with athletes and the addition of Bill Belichick’s $10 million annual salary.

The Top 10 Most Expensive Gameday Experiences According to Oddspedia

2025 Rank	2024 Rank	Team	Stadium	Total Cost	YoY Difference
1	4	Colorado	Folsom Field	$302	+15.7%
2	9	Alabama	Bryant-Denny Stadium	$295	+21.4
3	6	Texas	DKR-Memorial Stadium	$292	+15.9
4	7	Notre Dame	Notre Dame Stadium	$291	+25.7
5	15	Georgia	Sanford Stadium	$292	+19.3
6	1	UCLA	Rose Bowl	$284	-4.7%
7	7	South Carolina	Williams-Brice Stadium	$277	+13.5%
8	5	Texas A&M	Kyle Field	$268	+4.3
9	56	North Carolina	Kenan Stadium	$267	+56.1%
10	23	Kansas	David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium	$265	20.2%

Renowned for leading the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl championships, has elevated the profile across the nation scene and increased demand for UNC football. Because of the “Belichick Effect”, all-season and single-game tickets for home contests have been sold out nearly a month before the 2025 season opener — the earliest full sellout in program history.

“No, but I would say, you know, it's awesome that we're sold out this year,” said offensive lineman Austin Blaske when asked if he had a hard time trying to secure tickets for his parents. “I think that's incredible. Appreciate the Carolina fans doing that. But, no, I've not had any trouble with that.

UNC will debut the new Chapel Thrill Game Day experience before each of Carolina football’s six home games this fall, which will also feature the return of the Old Well Walk. About two and a half hours before kickoff, the team will walk from the Old Well through Polk Place and around the Bell Tower to the stadium.

UNC isn’t alone in facing rising gameday costs within the Triangle area. In Durham, the average price for attending a Duke game at Wallace Wade Stadium increased 34.4% year-over-year, ranking as the ninth largest surge nationally, the study notes.

Unlike Duke and UNC, Wake Forest has one of the least expensive gameday experiences in college football as two people attending a game at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem would only cost $114 with everything included.

At the top of the list, Colorado claims the title of most expensive college football gameday experience, followed by blue-blood programs Alabama, Texas, Notre Dame, and Georgia rounding out the top five.

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