Need help from North Carolina residents about UM games

Submitted by bigge1014 on

I will be in North Carolina for a training class and will be there all of October.  Where can I go to watch UM games?  I will be staying in Spring Hope which is apparently between Raleigh and Rocky Mount.  Can anyone help me please!?

maizenbluenc

June 22nd, 2010 at 7:57 AM ^

First, I used to have a problem, but lately the games usually are carried on ABC or ESPN. So BTN games are likely to be your bigger challenge.

Try reaching out to the Michigan Triangle Alumni Club. While they meet over by RDU airport at a  Rudinos (I think) to watch the games, they may know where you can watch them over on the east side of town.

I'll check with someone I know in Zebulon to see if they know of any sports pubs out that way.

[Edit] My friend confirms there ain't a whole lot in Spring Hope. The one bar she has been to was real Dukes of Hazzard-ish (without Daisy). Zebulon is pretty barren as well. She says there is a dubious "Sports Page" bar in Knightdale, but your best bet is likely Rocky Mount, or maybe Wake Forest. (Maybe you want to consider staying closer to Raleigh, and commute to Spring Hope everyday ...)

She does highly recommend that you eat at Rib Eyes in Nashville. (There's a TV there, but likely to be black and white and showing what passes for ACC football.)

raleighwood

June 22nd, 2010 at 8:08 AM ^

I think that MTAC meet at O' Mulligan's near RDU (off Airport Blvd about one mile south of I-40).  Sparty fans meet at the Rooftop Rudino's in North Raleigh off Strickland.

I'm not sure about the smaller towns but almost any sports bar in Raleigh will be able to get the games.  The Big Ten Network is not part of the standard package on cable but I picked it up for an extra $4.50 a month.  That could be your best bet unless you want to drive to Rocky Mount or Raleigh.

This is ACC country so ABC will most likely be picking up ACC games at 3:30.  I'm sure that it will be frustrating for some games......but where there's a will there's a way.  You''ll be able to find the games.

Noahdb

June 22nd, 2010 at 7:07 AM ^

You're staying IN Spring Hope? That's a TEENY little town of about 1,000 people. There are no sports bars there. Hell, thanks to our ridiculous, outdated, Baptist-led bunch-of-nonsense, there aren't any bars in the state (they have to be part of a restaurant or some other business).

Rocky Mount is about 15 minutes to the east down US 64. Take the US 301 exit and there are a bunch of chain restaurants like Applebees or Chilis that will probably be showing the game. If you got off on the Winstead Rd. exit, there used to be a sports bar at one of the hotels (there are about six right by the highway), but I can't find a listing for it on Google. It's been more than a decade since I lived in Rocky Mount.

Zebulon is to the west and you'll find the same sort of things there. Raleigh is about 30 minutes to the west and obviously, there's a ton of options.

Just out of curiousity, what kind of training are you doing in Spring Hope? There aren't that many businesses there. The biggest employer used to be a concrete company that made septic tanks. Pretty little town...lots of 100 year old houses. If you're into farms, you're in luck. You can cruise on down to the mighty metropolis of Bailey and see where Julius Peppers grew up. Or you can go to Red Oak and see the manure factory.

fleetwoodzback

June 22nd, 2010 at 7:15 AM ^

there is nothing i know of west of spring hope. i am about 130 miles west of there in the greensboro area and there is nothing around here. also knowing the area between here and raleigh, there really is nothing particular in between. that being said, you shouldn't have much of a problem finding somewhere that will have the game on, but don't expect it to be on the biggest tv in the place, especially if wake forest/unc/nc state is playing at the same time.

blueinwinston

June 22nd, 2010 at 9:37 AM ^

Nothing between Greesnboro and Raleigh?  What about Burlington, Durham, and Chapel Hill?  You could find the game at any sports bar in NC, I'm sure of that.  I live in Winston-Salem which is west of where you will be but I've never had a problem finding a game.  ABC, ESPN, or BTN will have it.  Not sure why everyone is saying there aren't any bars in NC b/c that's not true.  Winston has lots of bars, most of which show games. If you can find a Buffalo Wild Wings or similar you'll definitely be able to watch the game.  

fleetwoodzback

June 22nd, 2010 at 10:38 AM ^

that's what i was saying, there are no UM themed bars but finding the game should not be a problem, it just may not be the top choice of game at any given bar. i live in winston as well and i know indigo joes in kernersville has a florida alum club there which will occupy the big screen but there will be multiple games on multiple tvs.

Noahdb

June 22nd, 2010 at 11:28 AM ^

No...there are no bars in North Carolina. There are restaurants that serve alcohol, but there are no places that just serve hooch. 50.01 percent of your revenue has to come from something other than alcohol.

Look at Raleigh...we just built a nice small amphitheater and Budwesier was willing to buy the naming rights. They were going to basically pay for the venue and get it named the "Bud Light Amphitheater" in return. But our effed-up alcohol laws won't allow a municipal-operated venue to do that.

But that's all a different discussion. You should be able to find the game in Rocky Mount. Call the Applebees or Chilis and tell them that you want to watch the game. They should be willing to flip at least one of their TVs over for you.

Hell, if you're going to drive all the way to RDU, you might as well just come by my house and watch the game. I'm just south of Raleigh.

Tubes

June 22nd, 2010 at 1:11 PM ^

MTAC, the alumni club for Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, gets together at the Wild Wing Cafe North of Raleigh (near the airport).  They always have a room reserved - get there early to get a seat. 

There is a Carolina Ale House in the same parking lot that is usually empty and will put any game on for you (even BTN).

In downtown Raleigh on Glenwood there is a bar called Tobacco Road which has approximately 1-million TVs and every sports package imaginable.

jvblaha

June 22nd, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^

Any sports themed restaurant will have the games.  Buffalo Wings and Rings in Greensboro ordered BTN for me last year just so I could watch the Delaware State game over fall break and dropped it the next month.  That is our Southern Hospitality at its finest.