The Carolina Hurricanes took home the Stanley Cup for the first time in 20 years—and to celebrate, our July/August issue includes a commemorative pullout cover, in partnership with Village District. Download it below!
⚽️ The women’s sport industry is predicted to make over $1B in total revenue for the first time—plus, ~20 new women’s sports teams are launching in 2024. You go, girls!
🏒 We haven’t been able to snag the Stanley Cup recently (next year’s our year?), but Raleigh did secure a spot on WalletHub’s list of best cities for hockey fans. … Take warning!
💸 Cash rules everything around us. Raleigh’s $1.43 billion budget was approved, in effect July 1, with an increase in property owner tax bills and police/firefighter pay (10%).
🎟️ Raise your hand if you’ve ever been victimized by Ticketmaster fees (!). Enter the TICKET Act, passed by the House in May, which would require sellers to be transparent about the total cost of tix up front.
🧑💻 Cary ranked third for the best job market out of 343 cities, thanks to a low unemployment rate of 1.6% and a remote work rate of 40%.
🍼 A new male contraceptive gel—a hormonal hand sanitizer-like substance applied on the shoulder blades—is proving to be safe and effective.
💗 If you needed a sign to delete your dating apps, here ya go. Eventbrite saw attendance for singles/dating events increase 42% from 2022 to 2023. IRL connections for the win!
🌊 TikTok’s favorite stingray Charlotte is not, in fact, pregnant—despite the ongoing rumors. Rather, the cartilaginous fish has a rare reproductive disease.
True to their Bunch of Jerks nickname, the Carolina Hurricanes are poised to “cause chaos” this 2023–24 season—in the best way. The new tagline dropped ahead of the Canes’ first regular season game Oct. 11 and proved to be true following a 5–3 win over the Ottawa Senators. Not to mention our home hockey team is the consensus favorite to win the Stanley Cup among sportsbooks (!). Adding to the allure of the season are a bunch of updates at PNC Arena, including four new food and beverage concepts, three of which are local: The BBQ Lab (sections 105 and 120), Gonza Tacos y Tequila (section 112 stand and section 130 cart), The Optimist (section 105) and Chick-fil-A (section 120 and 325 carts). Needless to say, you’re gonna wanna Take Warning for one heck of a season. Go Canes!
If there were ever a time to bet on the Canes—and PNC Arena—it’s now. Beyond making their fifth appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals and selling out 31 of 41 regular season games (ranking top five in league fan attendance), now the ink is dry on a bill legalizing sports betting in NC that changes everything—for the arena, and the district as a whole.
Especially because the Canes are here to stay. Post their Playoffs run, Canes President and GM Don Waddell announced a 20-year lease extension with PNC Arena in the works—signing as soon as late July to mid-August.
Once signed, the Centennial Authority board will approve selects from some 70 ideas on the table to reenergize the property, according to Jeff Merritt, executive director of the Centennial Authority. Not to mention Wake County is slated to distribute funds from the interlocal agreement this summer—which levies revenue from hotels and food/beverage taxes to support arts, culture, sports and convention facilities.
Add to that the legalization of sports betting—and “we will now have the opportunity to build a world-class sports-wagering facility to expand the entertainment options around PNC Arena,” Waddell said in a statement posted to the Canes’ Twitter account. “Our plans also include a restaurant and bar available to fans every day, helping to spur additional development in and around the arena district.”
Adds Merritt: “It will provide a revenue stream to the hockey team that doesn’t currently exist.” … And the timing could not be more perfect. Stay tuned.
In honor of the Canes’ 25th year in NC—we sleuthed up some Qs all about our fave hockey team. Ready to rock this quiz like a Hurricane?!
1 “What’s in a name?” … And what was the Hurricanes’ initial name before blowing us away with its current moniker?
a. The Whalers
b. The Trailblazers
c. The Aviators
d. The Squirrels
2 Skating over to the rebrand—what year did the hockey team initially form before becoming the Carolina Hurricanes we know and love in ’97?
a. 1969
b. 1970
c. 1971
d. 1972
3 Believe in beginners’ luck? How about raw rookie skill? … Who was the first Canes player to earn the NHL Rookie of the Year award?
a. Alex Nedeljkovic
b. Jeff Skinner
c. Steve Yzerman
d. Andrei Svechnikov
4 Pucker up! What team did the Canes beat to earn their first Stanley Cup in 2006?
a. Edmonton Oilers
b. Boston Bruins
c. Pittsburgh Penguins
d. New York Islanders
5 There’s a Stormy brewing (!). Contrary to what you might assume, the Canes’ anthropomorphic mascot dubbed Stormy—is NOT a hurricane. Which animal is actually the team’s mascot?
a. Boar
b. Ice hog
c. Polar bear
d. Brown bear
6 Another mascot Q to add icing to the cake: What number does our marvelous mascot wear on his jersey?
a. 94
b. 95
c. 96
d. 97
7 Severe weather alert! What noisemaker sound does the team use to signify the puck drop each period?
a. Siren
b. Air horn
c. Cowbells
d. Fire alarm
8 “O Captain! My Captain!” Who was the first Canes team captain after the team’s rebrand?
a. Enrico Ciccone
b. Kevin Dineen
c. Kevin Brown
d. Kirk McLean
9 Put me in, coach! What was the name of the OG Canes coach who helmed the team through its first six seasons?
a. Peter Laviolette
b. Bill Peters
c. Kirk Muller
d. Paul Maurice
Answers: 1. A; 2. D; 3. B; 4. A; 5. B; 6. D; 7. A; 8. B; 9. D