**UPDATE** The News & Observer obtained a quote from a UNC official who confirmed that Williams was not counted towards the 25-person limit in Orange County. According to the university, coaches, athletic department staffers and other school officials are allowed to sit in private boxes on the fifth floor of Kenan Stadium without counting against the capacity limit, much like the media members who covered Saturday’s game from the press box.
Additionally, the university distributed some tickets to family members of its senior football players in accordance with the 25-person limit.
UNC football’s season opener against Syracuse is closed to fans, as the university previously announced, but Roy Williams managed to find his way into Kenan Stadium on Saturday.
Williams, pictured wearing a face mask, was one of the few people allowed to attend the game. The broadcast from the ACC Network picked up Williams looking on from a box suite midway through the first half.
The current executive order from Governor Roy Cooper allows gatherings of up to 50 people outdoors, but Orange County has said it is sticking with a 25-person limit for the time being due to the spread of coronavirus in the local area.
Earlier this week, the governor’s office denied a request by UNC to allow parents of football players to attend the game against Syracuse.
Carolina Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham shared a statement with Inside Carolina about the decision, saying he was disappointed to hear the exception was not granted.
“Parents provide incredible support to our student-athletes,” he said. “We appreciate that our state officials have the difficult task of ensuring the health and safety of all of our citizens, and we are confident that we can distance several hundred family members within football stadiums across our state that hold tens of thousands. We remain hopeful that families – and fans – will be able to return to competitions in the future.”
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