Franklin Street businesses ready for big win from Duke-UNC showdown

Friday, March 3, 2023
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- Duke and North Carolina fans are excited about this matchup Saturday evening. If there was ever a question of who Melissa Sawyer is rooting for, the Carolina blue she's rocking shows who she supports. She wore the sweatshirt Friday as she headed to a campus coffee shop.

"It's a big deal. I've watched on Franklin before. Places are really rowdy," she said. "It's a big game because we kind of have to win. Hopefully, we make the (NCAA) tournament. Also, I'd obviously love to beat Duke."
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ESPN's College GameDay is in town and Tony Raftelis is part of the production crew. He's wearing a Duke hat supporting the Blue Devils.

"A win from Duke could send the Tar Heels to the NIT. That's when this hat is going to come out tomorrow," he said. I was born and raised Duke. It's in my blood. That Duke-blue blood."

According to Raftelis, 50 people are in town for two days working 10-hour shifts to pull this off for ESPN.
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"There are a lot of people that don't even know what actually goes into these games. A lot of cameras and a lot of cables," he said.

While fans are hoping their team comes out on top, Franklin Street businesses expect a financial win.



"We're fully stocked. We've got a lot of new product that just came in," said Holly Dedmond with Chapel Hill Sportswear. "Usually a Duke game on a Saturday afternoon is equivalent to a football Saturday for us. Our football Saturdays are six or seven of our busiest days of the year."
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