Karen Shelton Stadium - North Carolina Tar Heels
Photos by Gregory Koch and Chris Green, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29
Karen Shelton Stadium 327 Ridge Rd Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Year Opened: 2018 Capacity: 1,000
Field Hockey's Crown Jewel in Carolina
Although UNC is best known for its basketball program, the Tar Heels' field hockey team has enjoyed more success than any other. With a record eleven national championships, this is the most elite program in the country. The Tar Heels have an elite stadium to match their elite program, calling Karen Shelton Stadium home. The state-of-the-art facility opened in 2018 and seats 900 fans, plus standing room for another hundred or so. this is also one of the few venues in the country to meet the strict standards for international competition, further demonstrating that this is a crown jewel of the sport.
Food & Beverage 3
There is one concession stand at the stadium, located at the far right end of the seating area. Although having any concession stand at all puts Karen Shelton Stadium above the majority of field hockey venues, the menu here is fairly limited. Hot dogs ($5.89), candy ($3.99), chips ($4.79), peanuts ($5.49), popcorn ($6.19), nachos ($6.19) and soft pretzels ($7.89) are the only food options.
To drink, fans can choose from bottled water ($4.89), a souvenir 32 oz. soda ($6.99), or, unusually for college field hockey, various beers and wines ranging in price from $9..99 to $14.99.
Atmosphere 5
Karen Shelton Stadium may well be the nicest stadium in college field hockey, with an outstanding atmosphere to go along with it. Walking into the stadium, you will see a gorgeous brick exterior facade, then walk through an opening onto the concourse. From here, you can walk up or down to your seat. There is no track here like at some facilities, so you will be extremely close to the action. The second level above the concourse adds some sightlines not often seen in college field hockey. Surrounding the field are verdant trees and beautiful brick buildings, including the Champions Club for field hockey donors.
The UNC athletic department clearly puts a lot of effort into the field hockey experience. The pep band sits in the rightmost section of the lower level and plays the fight song and other music before UNC penalty corners and after goals. The Tar Heel mascot, Rameses the Ram, roves the field and the stands high-fiving fans, "borroring" their sunglasses, and getting up to other wacky hijinks. Before UNC penalty corners, the PA announcer will lead the crowd in a call-and-response, shouting "Tar" before the crowd answers "Heels". T-shirts are tossed into the crowd after every UNC goal, further hyping the crowd. A large videoboard, one of the largest in college field hockey, is locted behind the goal on the left side. The one downside of this board is that it does not show time remaining on penalty cards. It does, however, show shots, saves, and corners for each team.
Neighborhood 4
The UNC campus is located in Chapel Hill, part of the Research Triangle that also includes Raleigh and Durham. You are going to have to head off campus to find much of anything, but places like Al's Burger Shack and Carolina Brewery are just a short drive away. With three major cities within about a 15-20 minute drive, there is something for everyone in this area, it just may not be within the immediate vicini8ty of the stadium.
Fans 5
UNC consistently ranks at or near the top of the country in attendance. While many other schools mainly draw friends and family of the players, UNC averages 600 fans a game in a thousand seat stadium. The crowd ranges from students to longtime Tar Heels fans to young families with kids who may play field hockey themselves and dream of playing for the Tar Heels someday. The crowds are knowledgeable about the team and the sport itself and cheer loudly. They participate in "Tar ... Heels!" calls-and-response and create an electric atmosphere at Karen Shelton Stadium. This fan base may very well be the best in the country.
Access 4
There are several places to park at Karen Shelton Stadium. The Ram's Head Parking Deck is located right across the street along Ridge Road and costs $1.75 an hour. There is also the Ehringhaus Lot on the other side of the stadium where the most dedicated fans park and tailgate before the match. This is free after 5 PM and on weekends, but fans cannot park here outside those hours. Fortunately, that will cover almost every home game.
Once in the stadium, restrooms are located underneath the bleachers and are clearly signed. There is also a family restroom for people who require one.
The one downside is that the narrow concourse can get crowded at times, especially right before and after the match.
Return on Investment 5
Tickets to UNC Field Hockey are free, presenting an outstanding value for one of the best venues in the sport. Parking will either be free or inexpensive, depending on when you visit, while concessions are reasonably priced as well. Overall, a UNC field hockey game is outstanding, affordable fun. Keep in mind there may be a charge for tickets for ACC or NCAA tournament games, as ticketing for those events is not coordinated by UNC.
Extras 4
The pep band is worthy of an extra here, as that is something not often seen in college field hockey.
Look for the plaques and banners honoring UNC's conference and NCAA championships.
Free roster cards are available under a rock on the concourse.
Understanding that field hockey is a niche sport in the United States, the team plays a brief video before the game explaining the basics of the rules so fans can follow along better.
Final Thoughts
Karen Shelton Stadium is the crown jewel of college field hockey. UNC fans may not be as familiar with UNC field hockey as they are with basketball, football, or other sports, but those who don't show up are missing out on one of the best hidden gems in college sports. If you are any sort of college field hockey fan, Karen Shelton Stadium should be on your bucket list, and sports fans in North Carolina will have a great time here even if they have never checked out field hockey before.
