North Carolina Senate Budget Proposal Could Increase Revenue for NC State Athletics & Adjust Their Basketball Schedule

According to Brian Murphy at WRAL, the budget proposed by the North Carolina Senate last night for the next two years could significantly increase revenue for NC State’s Athletic Department.

In the current North Carolina state budget, the athletic departments at NC State and UNC don’t receive any of the tax revenue from sports betting—while 13 other UNC System schools do. In the newly proposed budget, that would change in a big way.

If revenue were to stay flat, the Wolfpack and Tar Heels’ athletic departments would each receive an infusion of $11.5 million annually. But if the new budget passes, that number is expected to grow, as part of the proposal includes doubling the sports betting tax rate from 18% to 36%.

While the proposed budget aims to boost NC State and UNC’s athletic funding, it also includes a clause that would control who the Wolfpack and Tar Heels play in basketball.

If passed, NC State and UNC would be required to play each Division II school in the UNC System in three regular season or exhibition games by the 2039–40 season. Those schools are Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, UNC Pembroke, and Winston-Salem State University. Additionally, the Wolfpack and the Tar Heels would be required to play each Division I school in the UNC System in two regular season games by 2039–40. Other than NC State and UNC, those Division I schools include ECU, UNC Charlotte, Appalachian State, UNC Wilmington, UNC Greensboro, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, Western Carolina, and UNC Asheville.

Check out all the details of Murphy’s article over at WRAL.