*Editor’s note, Aug 19, 2019: This article and headline have been updated to accurately reflect that NC State has not announced a plan to sell alcohol in Carter-Finley Stadium.
In the school’s ever-expanding attempts to satisfy the needs of students and the overall fan base of its team, NC State is implementing a plethora of changes to Carter-Finley Stadium. These will include upgrades that will allow fans to remain cool during games.
In mid-July, the NC State Board of Trustees approved the selling of alcoholic beverages at athletic events, a long-awaited decision for NC State fans. This was in response to the fact that earlier in the summer of 2019, North Carolina approved sales of alcoholic beverages at campus events.
To further the excitement, New Belgium, a notable craft brewery, develop the “Old Tuffy” beer, which will be sold in stores and should provide a unique and collectible can for all NC State fans. Not only this, but a portion of money spent on Old Tuffy beers will go directly to NC State research projects, and support job opportunities and internships for students interested in the brewing industry.
While NC State has not announced a plan to sell alcohol in Carter-Finley Stadium, it could be a huge boost for the fan base and ultimately the team if more fans stay after halftime.*
If the potential for the sale of beer at Carter-Finley was not enough to excite fans, NC State also announced a large set of changes to heating and cooling at Carter-Finley.
In what the school calls its “heat plan,” the school will monitor the temperature during game days, utilizing WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature), which will provide for an accurate reading of the heat outside.
The readings from WBGT will be posted often on social media and fans will be given more consistent updates from the team with respect to what should be expected on game day in regard to the weather.
If the school determines that it will be a hot day for fans, the heat plan will be initiated. Rex Healthcare stations (near gates four and eight) will always be open, but a third station will be activated at gate 14 during the heat plan, and all three stations will be air-conditioned.
There will be more water stations implemented into the facility as well at gates eight and ten, as well as near sections 215, 220 and 221, and now fans will be permitted to bring one bottled water in the stadium per person. On top of the previously existing water fountains, there will now be water bottle filling stations in the stadium, as the school attempts to improve the hydration of its students and fan base.
In order to provide an even more refreshing experience, NC State is adding more mist stations to sections 212-214 and 220-223, as well as enhancing old ones located at sections 10 and 11. There will be dunking stations available to fans as well, where fans can dip a towel or handkerchief in an iced tub of water and cool off using said towel. These will be located at gates eight and 14 as well as sections 212-214.
Furthermore, NC State will be increasing the overall amount of shade in the stadium. Specifics were not provided as to the exact locations of the extra shade and tents, but these should help with the overall level of exposure that fans have experienced in the past within the stadium.
Students who experience health issues during the game can be escorted by medical personnel to one of four buses that will be parked outside of the East, West and North gates. These buses will be air-conditioned in order to help fans cool off.
Lastly, NC State is looking out for individuals who need to prepare themselves for long-term exposure to the sun. Sunscreen stations, which will dispense sunscreen to stadium goers for free, will be deployed around the stadium. For fans that are not able to be seated in a shaded area, this amenity will prove useful.
To drive home this initiative, NC State will be running promotions for the first two games of the season. In the home opener against East Carolina, each Wolfpack Club member season ticket holder will receive a free bottle of water upon entry. For the second game of the season against Western Carolina, the first 8,000 fans in attendance will receive red cooling towels, courtesy of the university’s partners.
Unfortunately, NC State is unable to operate the scheduling of games, so these plans are to help prevent early afternoon games from being miserably hot for fans. Game times are determined by the ACC’s television partners in order to schedule each game for the most viewership possible.
The Wolfpack opens up the football season against ECU at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31. Two other start times were revealed in advance for the Pack: The first game, against Western Carolina, will kick off at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, and the second, later in the season against Syracuse, will kick off at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10.
