As UNC Athletics prepares to lose nearly $30 million in projected revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic, the university is putting out a call to help financially support student-athletes.

“Carolina Athletics has long believed in offering as many opportunities as possible – to play, to win, to graduate – and we couldn’t do it without the generosity of our Rams Club members. To continue that tradition, we need even more support,” said athletic director Bubba Cunningham, echoing his message from August when he said the department was prepared to lose up to $52 million.

Cunningham outlined that the revenue projections come from lost ticket sales, reduced television revenue, and “other setbacks.” UNC opened the college football season without fans in the stands, but has since been able to allow 3,500 fans in Kenan Stadium thanks to loosened restrictions from Governor Roy Cooper. However, tickets are limited to students, Rams Club members and corporate sponsors and are not available to the general public.

Additionally, it is currently unknown how executive orders from the Governor’s office will affect the college basketball season.

Similar procedures will be in place to determine who basketball tickets will be made available for, but there is currently no word on how many fans — if any — will be allowed inside the Dean Smith Center when UNC begins its season on November 25.

The new Carolina Victory Fund — which the university describes as a “a vital new fund for unrestricted giving” — provides an opportunity for fans to help support the athletics department financially during the pandemic.

“The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been catastrophic to our budget, and we are asking you, our top benefactors, to ensure continued opportunities across our broad-based program by contributing to the Carolina Victory Fund,” said Cunningham. “This is a challenging time, and we hope you can help us meet this challenge.”

Per the university, the Carolina Victory Fund will help preserve scholarship opportunities at current level, provide immediate relief to sports operating budgets, and help student-athlete services such as academic, medical, and nutritional support.

To learn more about the Carolina Victory Fund, visit UNC’s website.

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