Triangle appears well-positioned to host 2027 Summer World University Games
The Triangle could be close to landing another major sports event that would bring thousands of athletes — and a lot of economic dollars — to the area.
In 1987, it was the U.S. Olympic Festival. In 2027, it could be the Summer World University Games.
An announcement will be made in November by the International University Sports Federation on the host country chosen for the 2027 event. The two finalists: the U.S and Chungcheong, South Korea.
Hill Carrow, long a crusader for bringing sports events to the Triangle, helped secure the Olympic Festival and hopes to do the same with the Summer World University Games, which would have as many as 150 countries and athletes from 600 universities participating.
“We’re optimistic,” Carrow, chairman and CEO of the N.C. Bid Committee, said Wednesday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. “I feel like we’re very sports-capable in terms of major events in this area. When it comes to staging the event, I think we’re really well-equipped for that.”
The international federation (FISU), which is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, sent a delegation for a site visit this week in the Triangle. The group toured several venues, including PNC Arena, which opened in 1999. They took a helicopter tour of the area, Carrow said, checking out the landscape.
While many of the sports would be held in the Triangle, there also would be competition in Greensboro — as in 1987 — and at Elon. Some of the baseball would be played at the DBAP, Carrow said, and some at venues like UNC’s Boshamer Stadium.
“What has impressed me is the number of venues that could be available for the Games and the quality of the venues and proximity of the venues,” Jing Zhao, director of FISU Games, said. “And the passion of the people for sport. We were impressed by the proximity of the universities but also the university atmosphere with its youth and passion, and the level of international students.”
She said the tour of PNC Arena was cut short Monday.
“We told the manager, ‘I don’t think we need to see more, we’re already going to put in our report your venue is already qualified,’’” she said. “It was so impressive.”
The athletes who compete in the World University Games will be ages 18 to 25, and more than 7,000 would likely attend the 2027 Summer Games.
Carrow said the planned dates of the Games would be in July, with the opening and closing ceremonies likely being held at UNC’s Kenan Stadium.
Carrow said the overall cash budget would be about $100 million — and roughly $125 million counting in-kind gifts and services. He noted the state legislature recently approved a $25 million commitment that’s contingent on the 2027 Games being held in North Carolina.
“That’s a big statement, for North Carolina to step up like that,” Carrow said.
Carrow said event revenues might match the $25 million state appropriation, saying, “That would leave the remainder to come from major sponsorships, mainly, and maybe some broadcast rights.”
Carrow said there have been preliminary discussions with NBC, CBS, Turner and ESPN about broadcasting the event within the U.S.
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Being in a “sweet spot” between World Cup soccer in the U.S. in 2026 and the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles could help with the budget, Carrow said.
“The largest sponsorships for the L.A. Games are $400 million each,” Carrow said. “We’re saying if we have to fill a $50 million or $60 million (budget) gap and we can price our sponsorships much more modestly for these big guys, maybe they have carve off a little bit of revenue for us. And if we can give them a good TV package to go along with it, that would be the attraction for them.”
Dan Guerrero, president of the U.S. federation (USIUSF), likes the chances of landing the Games. The former athletic director at UCLA noted that other areas in the U.S. were scouted by the federation but the decision was “few places could deliver the goods” better than the Triangle and North Carolina.
“I’m bullish on what our chances are,” Guerrero said. “I believe our bid to be a strong bid, and would be hard-pressed to believe you’re going to find better facilities and better collaboration among the individuals in the region.”
Collaboration, as always, is the key to staging an international venture of this scope, Carrow said.
“It’s a huge team effort,” he said. “Thankfully everybody has been playing really well together in the sand box and willing to come together for a big common cause.”
This story was originally published August 4, 2022 at 8:45 AM.
