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

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."

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.

"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."