I like the idea of a “show your colors” night.
BBA, some of what I’m saying here is a reflection of conversations with a Canes ticket exec who was basically at the point of giving up trying to recruit fans from Chapel Hill. The harder core elements of Tar Heel Nation associate the Canes with the Wolfpack, in a negative way. To the point of scoffing at the idea of ever being a “home” fan at PNC Arena. It’s a thing.
Not saying you're wrong as I can easily believe what the ticket person said, but just about every home game I went to following the 05/06 season to the 2011 season I noticed a lot more Tar Heel blue than I thought I would ever see at a 'Canes game. They were rooting for the home team too for that matter. Saw some Duke shirts as well and same thing, all rooting for the 'Canes.
I had a friend who went to UNC from 2005-09 who told me that during his time there the 'Canes had developed a small but noticeable amount of fans among the students after the Cup win. Some of the Basketball players went to games (anyone remember Tyler Hansborough getting booed and cheered during the playoffs?
). I randomly met Eric Montross (former player and radio guy) at a game once. Hell our last two UNC-grad governors (Easley and Cooper) were/are fans.
Unfortunately as we all know, the team could not build on that success and turned even the die-hards like us off. Now they have to build from the ground up again. But I do think there's more non-NC State/Canes fans than we might think, now comes the part where if Dundon is true to his word, he will try to reach out to those people and see who sticks.