Fans of Carolina Athletics will be celebrating after it was announced Kenan Stadium will be creating a more comfortable game day experience by ditching the bleachers and installing individual chairs complete with backs and armrests at the college football stadium.
After overwhelming feedback from supporters, the new seats, measuring 22in wide, will replace the current bleacher offering in the upper and lower levels (not the student sections) as part of the University of North Carolina’s modernization drive at the on-campus facility.
However, comfort will come at a price. Not only will the upgrade to individual seats mean it will ultimately see capacity at Kenan Stadium reduced to approximately 51,000 but fans are also expected to foot a portion of the US$6m-US$6.5m cost through a US$6 fee added to each ticket.
UNC plans for the new seats be installed before the start of the 2018 season, which will mark the venue’s 92nd hosting of college football.
“We want our fans to have the best game-day experience possible, and this is a fantastic next step,” said director of athletics Bubba Cunningham. “We look forward to seeing those Carolina blue seats filled – and we’ll continue looking at every area of game day to see how we can improve even more.”
The university can add the stadium seating to a list of improvements at Kenan Stadium over the last four years including the addition of terrace clubs seating and pre-game experiences for fans.
“I am excited to see us continuing to work to enhance the fan experience at Kenan Stadium,” said head coach Larry Fedora.
“I know this is something that our fans will enjoy and I appreciate the hard work of the athletic department and our facility management staff to make this happen.”
January 10, 2018
