ESPN appears all-in on Bill Belichick’s North Carolina debut, reportedly expecting a TV ratings boom similar to Deion Sanders’ first year at Colorado.
With weeks still to go before he graces the sidelines, the excitement surrounding Bill Belichick’s North Carolina debut is already heating up.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that UNC has officially sold out its entire ticket allotment for the 2025 season. Season tickets had already been snapped up, but now even individual game tickets are gone.
But it’s not just Tar Heels fans buzzing. ESPN seems just as eager—if not more—for Belichick to start pacing the sidelines in his trademark hoodie.
According to Front Office Sports, ESPN could broadcast up to 10 UNC games across its family of networks. That’s no small commitment. The network is reportedly banking on Belichick having a similar impact on TV ratings as Deion Sanders did in his first season at Colorado in 2023.
“We have to wait and see. The potential is there,” ESPN senior director of programming and acquisitions Kurt Dargis told FOS. “There’s definitely interest in him outside the typical college football fan. Deion was such a phenomenon. I still can’t believe some of the numbers we got that first year he was there. It’s too early to say.”
So far, five games are already slated for ESPN platforms, including matchups against TCU, Charlotte, Richmond, at California, and at Syracuse. The remaining broadcast assignments will be announced closer to each game date—typically between 12 to 6 days out.
But ESPN won’t have a monopoly on Belichick’s debut season. As FOS noted, Fox Sports could air the Sept. 20 game at UCF, since both Fox and ESPN share Big 12 media rights. The CW Network may also grab a couple of Belichick’s ACC matchups through a sublicensing deal. However, because UNC doesn’t play any Big Ten teams, CBS and NBC are off the table.
Of course, the ticket sellout and ESPN’s interest are just part of the story. Belichick and UNC are reportedly in talks with Hulu for a documentary-style series covering the 2025 season. NBC Sports’ Mike Florio described the project as a potential “infomercial” for the Tar Heels.
Needless to say, anticipation for Belichick’s college football era is already sky-high—and the season can’t get here soon enough.
Category: General Sports
