Why did we screw up youth sports so badly? At some point, we stopped letting kids play—and started turning childhood into a full-time industry.
Every week, my sister and nephew are out of town for baseball. Not a game—a five-day tournament: Atlanta, Omaha, Cali. And he’s playing on multiple teams? Each with a different uniform, bat—different everything. They’re going into debt to pay for it all. And that’s before you add the personal coach, nutritionist, strength trainer and year-round seasons that never actually end. These days, playing baseball has become managing a small business.
And don’t even get me started on the travel. Every few weeks you’re required to stay at the designated overpriced hotel for another tournament hours from home. What does that mean for families that simply can’t afford it? Youth sports are supposed to build community—not price kids out of participating.
And here’s what really gets me: Does any of this actually make the kids better? We pour thousands of dollars into private coaching, specialized equipment and nonstop competition, yet these young athletes are still getting their butts kicked in plenty of international competitions. We’ve confused spending more with developing athletes.
Now my nephew has signed up to play baseball at NC State, so maybe for him it’ll all work out. But I’ve also watched him become the absolute center of the family. Everything revolves around baseball. There’s no balance.
And while we’re at it, do both parents really need to be at every practice and every game? Do these people not have jobs? Have they never heard of a carpool?
I’m grateful we had a different experience. My daughter swam for the Marlins of Raleigh and her high school. No private lessons or personal coaches—just swimming. Sure, it was an 11.5-month season and we traveled for meets about once a month, but it never consumed our lives.
We need to recenter youth sports. Let kids play different sports in different seasons. Let them compete for fun, leadership and teamwork—not because there’s another tournament, another uniform or another check to write.
—Youth Sports Skeptic
This rant has been lightly edited for style and space and is not endorsed by Raleigh Magazine.
Got a rant or rave? Email it to [email protected] for print consideration.
Check-in time has arrived in Raleigh—but it’s about much more than high-end hotels.
By Melissa Howsam & Lauren Kruchten
We’ve been saying it for years—and for good reason. Raleigh’s hotel boom is coming. But it isn’t just a random flurry or a lust for the suite life. It’s about building an identity.
Plans for a new crop of boutique, luxury and full-service hotels have steadily stacked up across DTR, promising more rooms, more rooftop bars and, finally, the upscale stays Raleigh has long lacked.
A robust hotel inventory is part of the infrastructure a city needs to compete for the major sporting events, conventions and marquee attractions that put it on the national stage—and bring thousands of visitors along with them, Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance Director Tori Collins tells RM. And it’s a formula Raleigh has already seen pay off: The 2023 NHL Stadium Series weekend generated $20.1 million in economic impact, while this year’s Stanley Cup Final delivered another $13.4 million and more than 6,700 hotel room-nights across Wake County.
And check-in time has arrived as several of those long-awaited projects are now opening, while still more are under construction or taking very real shape. The iconic round Holiday Inn debuted its second act as Hotel Indigo. The Oberlin is nearing its reveal in the Village District. The long-planned Omni is moving forward alongside the convention center expansion. And White Lodging is preparing to transform Downtown’s Sheraton into a Westin—adding yet another major player to Raleigh’s growing hospitality roster.
And that’s just the confirmed reservations. From a planned upscale hotel at City Gateway to boutique projects and potential stays tucked into some of Raleigh’s biggest mixed-use developments, the next wave is already checking in behind them.
Because this boom isn’t only about where visitors stay—it’s about creating a city they want to stay in.
Downtown Raleigh’s iconic “hair curler” Holiday Inn is finally getting new life. Marking a new chapter as Hotel Indigo Raleigh, the 204-room DTR fixture just unveiled a $36 million transformation that brings it into the modern age while preserving its unmistakable circular nee-1969 exterior.
While almost no aspect of the interior has gone untouched, Tidal Real Estate Partners Principal Eyal Einik emphasizes the design intentionally harkens back to the hotel’s ’60s heyday—from new coffered ceilings referencing the building’s architecture and geometric carpeting inspired by its circular room configuration to a largely locally rooted art program.
Sean Junqueira
“The location is a pillar of the brand,” he says. “The goal was to bring as much of Raleigh into the hotel and let the building speak for itself.”
Its crowning glory: 20th-floor cocktail lounge and event venue High Ground—creating a new perch for Raleighites and out-of-towners to sip, dine and gather from a vantage point unlike anywhere else in the city. Below, 204 boutique rooms, a warm contemporary lobby opening onto Hillsborough Street, and a lush courtyard designed for guests and locals to linger round out the reinvention.
Coming full circle, Hotel Indigo preserves the character that made one of Downtown’s most recognizable landmarks memorable while opening its doors to a new generation.
Delivering a dose of history—and a bolt of energy to an already booming district—the Oberlin Hotel is ready for check-in. The 153-room hotel marks Village District’s first stay and Hilton’s second Curio Collection property in NC, filling what Regency Centers GM Brooke Conn calls “a long-standing need for lodging in Raleigh’s central hub.”
But this isn’t some could-be-anywhere hotel—or just a place to sleep. Developed by family-owned, Winston-Salem-based Quality Oil Co., the boutique stay is uniquely Raleigh. And it’s deeply rooted in city history, down to its moniker, a nod to the historic Oberlin Village—one of Raleigh’s freedmen’s communities established by Black landowners and families following emancipation. That legacy of self-determination, resilience, community and opportunity carries throughout the property, as seen in the large-scale mural by Raleigh-area artist Sean Kernick paying homage to the historic neighborhood.
The Raleigh nods continue into the well-appointed guest rooms and public spaces, but the latter are designed as much for locals as overnight guests. Street-level Grounded, an open-to-the-public boutique coffee bar and cafe, moves from breakfast and grab-and-go fare into a daytime gathering spot, while lobby lounge Proper dishes lunch, dinner and cocktails that spill out to the courtyard. Flexible meeting and event spaces, including the Magnolia ballroom and adjoining outdoor courtyard—add capacity for weddings, corporate gatherings and celebrations of 150-plus, filling another previously underserved need in the district.
Still to come: Wren Rooftop, the hotel’s signature sixth-floor restaurant and bar, slated to bow in early 2027—bringing with it contemporary Southern fare rooted in NC ingredients backdropped by sweeping 13-foot ceilings, walls of glass and a wraparound rooftop patio serving up expansive DTR views.
All told, the long-awaited hotel delivers another piece of Village District’s evolution into an 18-hour destination—giving visitors a place to stay and locals plenty of reasons to check it out… or check in.
Set to become a cornerstone of Raleigh’s newly dubbed Fourth Ward Entertainment District, the long-awaited 29-story Omni Raleigh Hotel brings something the city has sorely lacked: 600 rooms and serious meeting capacity rising between the expanding Raleigh Convention Center and Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts.
Catering to those enhanced meeting and event capabilities, the transformative stay strengthens Raleigh as a premier destination for business and leisure travel via its massive ballroom, 61,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and rooftop pool—all directly supporting the Convention Center and Raleigh’s growing pursuit of larger conventions and events.
“We believe great hotels are shaped by the communities that surround them, and Omni Raleigh is designed to reflect the essence of this dynamic, fast-growing city,” says Omni Hotels & Resorts President Kurt Alexander.
And the local appeal goes beyond conventiongoers. The first-ever coffee shop from Raleigh-based Peter Millar will pour an exclusive Black & White Coffee Roasters blend, while a sports bar with golf simulator and covered outdoor patio brings another place to play. Meanwhile, NC’s first Bob’s Steak & Chop House adds another destination dining draw backed by Raleigh-inspired artwork.
Visit Raleigh
WESTIN RALEIGH Fayetteville Street District
Construction starting spring 2027
The Downtown Sheraton is getting more than a new flag on the building. Slated for spring construction, the conversion of the 353-room hotel into a Westin promises what White Lodging VP of Investments & Development Eric Stone calls a “transformative renovation.”
“I don’t think there’s any area of the hotel we won’t be touching,” he adds. Think new guest rooms, lobby, corridors, meeting and public spaces, destination restaurant and bar, plus additional meeting space and a modified facade that will transform it into an urban destination. Perhaps most consequential: The potential relocation of the hotel’s main entrance to Fayetteville Street—a move designed to inject new energy into the corridor and complement the city’s broader push to activate the area. The overhaul comes as Raleigh prepares to expand its convention center—and hotel capacity along with it.
Raleigh’s building boom is kicking it into high gear. Beyond the projects already reshaping the skyline, another wave of towers, hotels and mixed-use developments is permitted, planned and primed to break ground. Here’s what’s rising next—and how it could reshape the city.
By Melissa Howsam & Lauren Kruchten
“Buildings don’t create great cities—people do.” Highwoods Properties SVP Skip Hill’s mic drop statement isn’t just lip service.
Today’s most ambitious projects increasingly reflect that principle. It’s no longer enough to plop down an office tower or apartment building and call it a day. The new playbook layers places to live and work with restaurants, recreation, gathering spaces, greenways and connections designed to make entire districts useful, accessible—and somewhere people actually want to be.
Just three decades ago, Downtown Raleigh was a very different place—and it showed. Storefronts sat empty. Fayetteville Street’s pedestrian mall was failing. “Everything was brown,” recalls DECO’s Pam Blondin. “The old Civic Center looked like a prison.” Come 5 o’clock, everyone bolted—and even The News & Observer was considering leaving Downtown amid a dearth of investment.
What followed wasn’t one silver-bullet project, but a series of big bets: Fayetteville Street reopened. The Civic Center came down. A new convention center went up. Then came housing, restaurants, public spaces and destinations that gave people a reason not only to come Downtown—but to stick around. Three decades later, DTR is hardly the place that emptied out at quitting time.
And Downtown was just the beginning. Beyond the cranes and projects already reshaping the city, another wave of residential towers, hotels, mixed-use developments and entirely new districts is permitted, planned or preparing to break ground.
From Downtown and Midtown to West Raleigh and beyond, billions in investment are laying the groundwork for a larger, denser and more destination-driven Raleigh.
But citywide, bigger buildings and taller skylines are only part of the story. For decades, developers, restaurateurs, small business owners and residents have worked to create “a place where people don’t just pass through—they belong,” says Neetzan Zimmerman, co-owner of The Newsagent’s. Increasingly, the projects coming next are being designed with that same bigger-picture thinking—connecting not only uses, but neighborhoods, destinations and people.
Because, as Hill put it another way, “real estate is not the story—people are.” That’s the opportunity as Raleigh’s next chapter rises: not simply to make room for more residents, businesses and visitors, but to build a bigger city that works better for the people already here—and gives everyone else a reason to come.
Here’s what’s rising next.
Bloom Images
One Nash Square
Now selling • 20 stories • 82 residences
Downtown Raleigh’s condo market is heating up. Sales officially launched over the summer at One Nash Square, DTR’s newest condo development aptly situated across from its namesake green space on West Martin Street.
The 20-story tower from NYC-based Alchemy Properties is making a play in a market that remains relatively untapped in Raleigh’s core: luxury for-sale housing. Its one- to four-bedroom layouts give buyers the chance to put down actual Downtown roots—rather than rent them—while delivering the lifestyle and amenities expected at an $800K+ starting price.
And Alchemy is betting Raleigh is ready. Pointing to Downtown’s increasingly walkable environment and the next generation of residents looking to transition from renting to owning, “We think the timing is right,” says Alchemy’s Ryan Ray. “It’s always tough to be the first in the market, but we think it’s just the right time for us.”
Designed by Morris Adjmi Architects, living spaces lean light and airy via open floor plans, 10- to 12-foot ceilings, oversize windows, terraces and balconies, with engineered oak flooring offering a subtle nod to the City of Oaks.
Beyond residents’ walls, an extensive amenities program enhances the luxe lifestyle: An outdoor saltwater pool and state-of-the-art fitness center with spa facilities bring the wellness factor, while a resident’s lounge, golf simulator and private dining add spaces to gather. Even four-legged occupants get in on the action via an outdoor dog run and pet spa.
Ground-floor retail and on-site parking further reinforce the ease of DTR living—adding another piece to a Downtown increasingly built not just for people to visit, work and rent, but to own a piece of it.
Cline
Rosewood
In progress, opening 2028 • 8 stories • 269 units • 5.5K SF retail
The last piece of the puzzle connecting the greenway to Downtown is taking shape. Occupying a uniquely complex site at DTR’s southern edge between the historic character of Boylan Heights, the evolving South Saunders corridor and Dix Park, Rosewood isn’t just bridging distinct parts of Raleigh architecturally, socially and physically—it’s building a community around that connection.
Developed by Blue Heron Asset Management and designed by Cline, the residential project comprises two podium buildings with parking tucked beneath, intentionally stepping down in scale with Boylan Heights.
Rather than mimic the industrial ethos of the nearby Warehouse District, the design leans into Raleigh’s brick architectural roots, layering warm wood accents, arched elements and contemporary detailing to create something new that still feels at home in its storied surroundings.
But perhaps Rosewood’s most consequential connection happens outside its walls. The project will help complete the missing link between the future Lake Wheeler Road section of the greenway and Downtown, creating a pedestrian connection through the site to Dix Park and into the city’s growing trail and greenway network—with the greenway connection slated to come online alongside the development.
Outside, the living experience gets decidedly more playful, as the two buildings frame a central outdoor amenity space flanked by private terraces from select premium residences. Up top, a lounge and terrace take in South Saunders views—while a hidden speakeasy is tucked discreetly behind an entrance designed to look like any other residence. A dedicated wellness suite puts me-time front of mind via a sauna and cold plunge, with South Street-facing retail bringing another layer of lifestyle to a project designed not simply to sit between neighborhoods—but to stitch them together.
Turnbridge Equities
Highline Glenwood
Under construction, opening 2028 • 37 stories • 306 units • 7.5K SF retail • 50K SF office/commercial
Raleigh is officially growing up—way up. Currently rising in Glenwood South, Highline Glenwood will claim the title of the city’s tallest tower at 37 stories when it opens in 2028, redefining not only the Downtown skyline, but the scale of a district long dominated by renovated homes-turned-businesses, low-slung bars and restaurants, and comparatively modest apartment buildings.
But for Jason Davis, managing director of developer Turnbridge Equities, it’s not just about height. “It’s about offering a distinctive living experience in the heart of Downtown,” he says.
Spanning an entire city block, the mixed-use high-rise pairs that vertical future with a piece of Raleigh’s past, preserving historic DTR landmark The Creamery building as part of the development—while marking a turning point for the strip, which until now has been predominantly characterized by its industrial lore.
And Highline is going big on more than height: A ninth-floor outdoor terrace packs a pool, cabanas, padel court, firepits and lounge areas—complemented by a Trackman golf simulator; a fitness and wellness center with cold plunge, sauna and recovery amenities; and coworking suites. Raising the city’s bar, a 37th-floor indoor/outdoor sky lounge—and upper-floor balconies—serves up sweeping unobstructed vistas of the urban core from DTR to North Hills.
“This project offers an unmatched perspective,” says Davis. “As one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, Raleigh deserves a development that reflects its energy and vision.” Back on the ground, retail fronts a landscaped public plaza, bringing some of the development—and activity—to the street rather than keeping it all up in the clouds.
And Highline is only the beginning. Turnbridge plans to next develop 404 Glenwood at The Creamery, adding up to 280K square feet of Class A office space and 41,400 square feet of retail and dining—signaling Glenwood South’s vertical evolution is just getting off the ground.
More than just another residential tower, The Exchange’s Life Time Living project redefines the category of luxe living in Raleigh—not just in size, but ambition. Slated to break ground this month, the two-in-one project pairs a boutique apartment tower with Life Time Athletic’s sprawling athletic country club, while The Exchange’s East Park retail plaza is set to deliver alongside it, marking the development’s next phase of activation.
Calling Life Time Athletic Club a gym would be selling it wildly short. Designed for residents and members alike, the club layers cardio equipment, free weights, resistance training and personal training with dedicated Pilates, yoga, cycling and barre classes, plus a coworking lounge, child care and all-day, open-to-the-public Life Time Cafe.
Resort-inspired amenities carry over to the residential side, where luxury apartments with best-in-class finishes—including 10 penthouses—are complemented by a loaded amenity floor featuring a clubroom, billiards and shuffleboard room, sports and golf simulator, grills, firepits, cornhole. Then there’s the whopping 39K SF Life Time Rooftop Beach Resort and Bistro, and up top, 19th-floor Sky Lounge with fireplace, and cocktail bar and rooftop terrace—all adding to the hotel-meets-private-club feel.
“We’re confident this development will be a transformative addition to Midtown Raleigh,” says Dewitt Carolinas President Steven Beattie, “setting a new standard for living, wellness and community.”
Kane Realty
North Hills Innovation District
Under development • Four residential buildings • 250-key hotel • Office tower
If you thought North Hills’ expansion was over, just wait. After acquiring an additional 28 acres earlier this year, Kane Realty is primed for a new series of projects at the North Hills Innovation District—the next phase of the 20-plus-year evolution of its 130-acre mixed-use development in Midtown.
Set to expand the district’s footprint to Wake Forest Road, the next era builds upon Kane’s original vision of intersecting the natural and urban worlds while adding housing, hospitality, office, retail, open space and new connections to the surrounding community. “This next phase of NHID extends our vision of a place where people can work, live and connect,” says Kane Realty Managing Director of Development Drew Yates.
As part of that effort, Kane is extending a greenway connection that will ultimately tie into Raleigh’s larger trail network. With the initial segment from St. Albans Drive to Hardimont Road now open, the next phase of the boardwalk-esque pedestrian bridge will connect St. Albans Lofts to the currently under-construction residential Tributary before eventually extending to the planned multimodal bridge over I-440.
And that’s only the beginning. Future phases call for high-rise residential tower Vesper, midrise apartment building Merit, as well as Veranda—North Hills’ first active-adult community—plus an upscale hotel, office tower, freestanding retail, sports courts, nature trails, park spaces and amenitized walking paths. Across the residential projects, Kane is leaning heavily into wellness and outdoor living, from rooftop pools, terraces and fitness lawns to cryotherapy, infrared saunas and dedicated recovery spaces.
“The market is telling us there’s demand for housing at every stage of life,” says Yates, “and by delivering that within an urban, nature-forward setting, we’re not just meeting Raleigh’s needs today—we’re building a stronger, more resilient community.”
Still to come: a planned office tower and upscale hotel with up to 250 rooms, a cafe, rooftop dining and bar, event spaces and pool—further extending a district that increasingly functions as a destination unto itself.
Taken together, the projects make one thing clear: North Hills is nowhere near finished.
Tributary
Under construction, opening 2028 • Six stories • 332 units • 6K SF retail
Currently under construction, midrise Tributary will deliver a dynamic living component alongside a decidedly modern amenity mix, complete with digital content creation studio, elevated wellness center with hot/cold contrast therapy, and ground-floor retail.
Kane Realty
Kane Realty
Merit
Development begins 2027, arriving 2029 • Seven stories • 387 units • 10K SF retail
Sustainability and wellness take center stage at seven-story Merit, pairing lifestyle-focused residences and 10K SF of neighborhood-serving retail with a robust amenity lineup spanning a saltwater pool, multisport simulator and indoor-outdoor fitness space to cryotherapy, infrared sauna and meditation room. A rooftop canopy lounge adds another elevated gathering spot overlooking the growing district.
Veranda
Development begins 2027, arriving 2029 • 207 active-adult units
Catering to a different stage of life, Veranda marks North Hills’ first active-adult community, bringing 207 residences and an expansive, service-oriented amenity program spanning a game room and demonstration kitchen to a resort-style pool and sundeck, outdoor kitchen, wellness suite and Maker’s Space—raising the bar on active-adult living in the market.
Kane Realty
Vesper
Construction begins 2027, opening 2029 • 20 stories • 346 units
Adding to the city’s second skyline, Vesper delivers top-of-market amenities leaning into indoor/outdoor entertainment—think a rooftop heated saltwater pool with social terraces; a glass-wrapped rooftop clubroom with a fireplace, entertainment kitchen and lounge; and a sky yard boasting outdoor grills, a fitness lawn and putting green, firepits, and TV. Wellness gets equal billing via a massive fitness center with skyline views, recovery room, infrared sauna, steam room, treatment room and meditation lounge.
Kane Realty
North Hills Park District
Delivering summer 2027 • 20 stories • 362 units • 20 penthouses • 9K SF retail
Stacking up well against North Hills’ roster of high-rises is the Park District’s newest addition, situated nearby such popular spots as Cucciolo Terrazza, Tamasha, Vita Vite and Midtown Yoga. Rising 20 stories, The Strand introduces 362 modern residences—including 20 distinctive penthouses—along with a dedicated arrival and ride-share area.
A hospitality-inspired lobby welcomes residents with a comfortable lounge area, fireplace and full-service concierge, while a slate of boutique amenities delivering unique high-end elements sets it apart from the district’s current apartment-building lineup. Balancing entertainment, wellness and community, offerings range from a sixth-level clubroom with game tables and billiards, a resort-style saltwater pool with cabanas, and garden terraces with intimate conversation enclaves to an indoor/outdoor fitness studio and bike room with rentable bicycles and e-bikes.
The cherry on top? A Reserve Clubroom boasting an entertainment kitchen and dining space, lounge and terrace for taking in sweeping views of both North Hills and Downtown—while The Indigo Room serves up a private speakeasy exclusive to penthouse residents.
On the public-facing side, The Strand delivers ample ground-level retail alongside a welcoming promenade with generous sidewalks encouraging outdoor dining, strolling and activity throughout the day—further stitching the new tower into the burgeoning activity throughout North Hills.
Cline
Eastside
Construction begins this fall, opening 2028 • 20 acres • 250K+ SF mixed-use • Direct connectivity to 500K+ SF retail
What looks like a basic brick building we’ve all breezed by thousands of times is about to become one of Raleigh’s next big developments—and a case study in moving the city forward without bulldozing its past.
Enter Eastside, the transformation of the long-abandoned former Colonial Stores distribution warehouse at 2233 Capital Boulevard. Backing up to Raleigh Iron Works and stretching toward Salvage Yard, the massive pedestrian-oriented adaptive-reuse project from Beacon Partners and Cline will carve the sprawling industrial building into a new mixed-use destination for offices, retail, restaurants, recreation and gathering—while engineering new pedestrian connections across the corridor and adjacent to Raleigh’s extensive greenway trail network.
Rather than raze the warehouse, the team plans to retain the majority of its brick bones, punching in windows and selectively removing portions—including the southern end to make way for a multifamily component—to carve its enormous footprint into more usable, inviting spaces. At least two F&B concepts are envisioned alongside fitness and activity-based retailers, while a former rail spur lends itself to a string of pocket parks and outdoor spaces designed to bring some of the site back to the public.
For Cline, which plans to relocate its own HQ to the site and invest in the project, preserving that identity is the point. “There’s history to it and a story to it,” says Cline Design Director Dan Rider, “and as long-term investors in the city, it’s important for us to acknowledge and be part of that.” While nearby RIW leans into steel and its industrial roots, Eastside takes its cues from Raleigh’s brick architectural vernacular—straddling the line between making the old warehouse recognizable and giving it an unmistakably contemporary second life.
And the location may be as consequential as the building itself. Capital Boulevard has long functioned as Raleigh’s northern gateway without exactly looking the part. With Iron Works, Salvage Yard and new housing already pushing DTR’s perceived borders outward, Eastside answers a yearslong call to turn this overlooked stretch into an entrance worthy of a growing cap city.
Kane Realty
Downtown South
Construction starting 2026 • 350 units
After years of starts, stops and big promises, Downtown South may finally be moving from blueprint to reality. Originally unveiled in 2019, the $2+ billion mixed-use development spearheaded by Kane Realty founder John Kane and North Carolina FC and North Carolina Courage owner Steve Malik encompasses roughly 140 acres along the southern edge of DTR. The goal: transforming a largely industrial corridor into a dense, walkable urban district blending residential, office, retail, hospitality, entertainment and public green space.
Now, Kane has filed plans for the first piece: 350 apartments across eight three- to four-story buildings on 11 acres, with construction targeted to begin by year-end. It’s a modest start, but a meaningful one. Long term, Downtown South is still envisioned as a new southern gateway to DTR, layering additional housing, a hotel and a concert venue.
It’s that time of year again—voting for our 2026 Best Bars + Best Bartender is now open! From cocktail lounges to dive bars, wine haunts to breweries, now’s your chance to shout out your faves. Meet our bartender nominees here, then cast your votes in one, some or all categories here.
For extra credit, catch this year’s nominees in action at RM’s annual The Cocktail Classic, Saturday, Nov. 14, at The Exchange Raleigh, where this year’s noms will step back behind the bar for an evening of unlimited cocktails, mic’d-up demos, elevated bites, DJ sets and indulgent experiences. Trust, we’re raising the bar. Grab tickets now at cocktailclassicraleigh.com
Worst loss in CFB history? Most cursed team in collegiate sports? Copy, paste, repeat. The war cry for the “Doeren” to hit Dave on the way out (shoutout Technician) has never been louder—or more united.
But at some point, it stops being about Dave—or Boo or a slew of bad decisions. And it starts being about the fans.
Because why would the university care about all that backlash when Carter-Finley keeps selling out and the stands stay full? You can boo and give them the business. You can fire shots in the comments. You can make memes and call for heads to roll. But if you want the university to listen, stop showing up. Period.
Look at the Panthers. For years, they scraped along the floor of the NFL under temper-tantrum Tepper—an owner fans increasingly loathed. Coaches came and went. Losing became the culture. But once fans had enough and Panthers stadium was full of opposing fans, change finally came. Now, Dave Canales and Dan Morgan are rebuilding a team that went from two wins before their arrival to five, then eight with a playoff berth—and Tepper has largely disappeared to his rightful place behind the scenes.
The lesson isn’t that empty seats magically fix a franchise. It’s that organizations respond to what hits where it hurts: relevance, reputation—and yes, revenue. Clearly, money talks—and in the college NIL era, it’s practically howling.
Look, State ain’t for soft people. But at some point—aka now—Wolfpack fans have suffered more than enough. And we’ve certainly earned our right to be pissed.
To be fair, it wasn’t always Doeren. There was T.A. McLendon’s knee in 2003 on the Ohio State goal line in a triple-overtime loss. And a year later at UNC, a McLendon TD was signaled and taken off the board after another official ruled his knee down, followed by a fumble and another gut-punch loss. (Side note: UNC later said its game film showed his knee down but didn’t make the video available—and the ACC adopted instant replay the following season. But that’s a rant for another day.) There was the missed 33-yarder at Clemson in 2016 that would have knocked off the eventual national champs. I could go on and on—and on.
And it hasn’t always even been football. There’s the (almost) magical 2021 College World Series run that ended not on the diamond, but via a 2:10am. no-contest announcement that sent State packing—and Vanderbilt to the championship series instead. And don’t even get me started on basketball.
And now: Vanderbilt. Again. A 31–28 lead. A game won for 59 minutes and 59 seconds with hundreds of ways to win and only one to lose—and the Pack found it. A 99.9%-ish certainty that this one was over—and somehow, impossibly, a 35–31 loss instead. The college football world was shocked. State fans were not.
Call it State Shit. Call it a curse. Call it whatever makes decades of finding new and increasingly creative ways to rip out your own heart make sense.
But right now, at Carter-Finley, the question isn’t whether Wolfpack fans are angry. Duh. The question is whether they’re angry enough to make the people with the power to change something feel it.
Because as long as all that backlash still comes through the turnstiles to sit in the sun, wind and rain, what exactly is the incentive to listen? And Dave won’t be going anywhere. In fact, they’ll probably reup his contract.
Sincerely,
A Wolfpack Fan Who Has Seen This Film Before
This rant has been lightly edited for style and space and is not endorsed by Raleigh Magazine. GOT A RANT OR RAVE? Email it to [email protected] for consideration
