North Carolina Tar Heels: #87 in FanSided Fandom 250
The North Carolina Tar Heels and their national fan base made in into the top 100 in the FanSided Fandom 250.
The North Carolina Tar Heels landed at 87 in the FanSided Fandom 250. This put them just slightly south of the Florida State Seminoles in the ranking. It also is a comment on how generally understated the Tar Heels are. Their popularity comes from years of loyalty not the quick rise or fall of any single iteration of the team.
The deep roots of the Tar Heel fandom are easy to miss for those who are strictly stuck to basketball. The Heels have had good baseball programs, good womens soccer (like really really good womens soccer), lacrosse, and other sports along the way.
The Tar Heels have quietly sent a number of talented players to the NFL. While you may know Lawrence Taylor, the Giants teams of recent years were dependent on Hakeem Nicks and Madison Hedgecock for offense. Dre Bly was from the school and you can still see Julius Peppers play if you travel to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.
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To consider how universally known North Carolina is, consider this Gatorade commercial from the turn of the millennia. In it Michael Jordan is competing with Mia Hamm to the song ‘Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better.’ What is so neat about that? Both Tar Heels.
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Part of brand identity is color. Carolina blue is easily recognizable in a collegiate environment full of dark blues, reds, and golds. There is no secret who is involved when you see that color and you can find that following just about anywhere. NCAA Tournament games are no exception even when the Heels get shipped to the West Coast.
It is that identity that keeps the Tar Heels on the sleeping giant list in football. The theory is that if the football team would win a little more there is a big fanbase waiting to buy in. That is also probably what held them back against teams like the Seminoles who are only known for being a football school.