What to know before you go: NC State football home opener vs. Notre Dame
N.C. State game day in Raleigh is almost here, but there’s plenty of things that fans — new and seasoned veterans — need to know before heading out to a sold-out Carter-Finley Stadium this weekend.
Prepare for Raleigh construction and delays
The North Carolina Department of Transportation began construction on the intersection of Blue Ridge Road and Hillsborough Street (N.C. 54) last fall.
This is part of NCDOT’s expansion of Interstate 440 and upgrades or construction of new bridges and interchanges, including Blue Ridge, Hillsborough and Beryl Road.
Blue Ridge is still closed on the north and south sides of the railroad tracks near Hillsborough. After several months of partial closure, however, Hillsborough reopened this week just in time for the game.
Despite the reopening, fans should prepare their route ahead of time and plan for potential delays as work continues on nearby roads. Updated information can be found on the DriveNC.gov website.
Parking lots open at 7 a.m. and the main gates open at 10:30 a.m.
Download tickets ahead of time
The program advises downloading tickets to mobile devices ahead of time, reducing delays getting into the stadium and potential signal issues near the stadium.
If anyone has any questions or other ticket-related problems, the university will have three different stations available. The primary ticket office at Gate 4 and ticket booth at Gate 10 open two hours prior to kickoff. A student resolution booth will open at Gate 7 90 minutes before kickoff.
NC State partners with Paranoid Fan
Wolfpack supporters can enhance their game-day experience with the new Paranoid Fan app. It finds restrooms, beer tents, concession stands — and what kind food is at each one — and the fan shops. This new app allows fans to text concerns directly to the operations staff and share administrative messages, when necessary.
This, and the GoPack mobile app, are available for download at any time.
The Pack’s clear-bag policy
Fans must comply with the stadium’s clear-bag policy, which allows for clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags no larger than 12 inches x 6 inches x 12 inches.
Other acceptable bags include clear plastic freezer bags of 1 gallon or smaller, purses and clutches no larger than 6.5 inches x 4.5 inches.
Exceptions may be made for diaper bags, with a child present, and those with medically necessary items. These are subject to inspection.
Other Wolfpack game-day information
N.C. State offers ADA-compliant shuttles before and after the game. It also provides “Wolfpack Express” golf carts. Both postgame shuttles begin midway through the third quarter.
Carter-Finley is a cashless stadium, meaning fans need to pack their credit and debit cards for any purchases made.
The Wolfpup Locator program provides wristbands with personal information on them to children. Guardians fill out the information pregame, and it can be used to reunite the child with their families or groups in cases of separation. The University Police Operations vehicle, University Police Command Truck or any officer will be prepared with Wolfpup wristbands.
N.C. State and Notre Dame kick off at noon on Saturday. Full policies can be found at GoPack.com.
