When UNC hired NFL coaching legend Bill Belichick in December, he brought with him his vision of turning the college football program into something akin to an NFL team.
Michael Lombardi has been appointed as the general manager, and last week, he called the Tar Heels the “33rd team,” similarly suggesting that they are looking to be on par with the NFL’s 32 teams and become a national power.
Matt Hayes on Allocation of UNC’s Sports Funds Between Bill Belichick and Hubert Davis’ Teams
In light of this, CFB reporter Matt Hayes also gave some insight into UNC’s basketball program, which has been the most successful sport in the school’s athletics for years.
He noted that a possible power shift could be impending, especially with the hoops team head coach Hubert Davis currently not doing great and Belichick’s grand plans for his football team.
North Carolina’s basketball team has six national championships and a repertoire of success that brings in a lot of revenue, including ticket sales, merchandise, and NIL deals.
However, with college sports turning towards pay-for-play in 2025, the football team will possibly try for the larger portion of the $20 million annual NIL pool, which all sports will share.
“There’s only so much to go around,” Hayes wrote. “The question is, who gets it?”
With Belichick and his resume, the question of how to divide the school budget provokes dialogue. The football team will possibly need more money to compete with strong teams like Alabama and Georgia, but this money has usually gone to the basketball team.
“Billy’s first words were ‘Beat Duke.'” 😂💙
Bill Belichick on the “full-circle moment” of coming back home to coach at @UNCFootball when college football was “all [he] knew as a kid.” pic.twitter.com/joZ7OAqITj
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 12, 2024
If the hoops team, currently under Davis, doesn’t do well, this argument over allocating the finances will possibly become more tense.
“Just the hope of a coach who won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots standing in the breach and proudly declaring we’re the 33rd team,” Hayes noted. “And we’re going to need cash to make it happen. A lot of cash.”
KEEP READING: Bill Belichick Takes Jab At Jets
As per Hayes, Belichick and Lombardi are aggressively building the football team, with a projected budget of $40 million per year. This includes $30 million (over three years) for Belichick’s salary, $10 million for assistant coaches, and other funds for support staff and player recruitment. This is a level of investment that the Chapel Hill-based team has never seen.
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