Beer, food trucks, autographs: Fans in for a new experience at WakeMed Soccer Park

Soccer fans are in for a new experience when they head to WakeMed Soccer Park for games this year.

Starting March 17, when North Carolina FC has its season opener, fans will see changes to concession stands, merchandise, parking and tickets.

There will also be a new pre-game festival with a chance to meet the players before games start.

The changes come after internal reviews from previous seasons and fan surveys collected every game, said Jake Levy, the communications director for the NCFC and NC Courage women’s soccer team.

This is the first time the soccer park has added major changes to the fan experience for every home game, Levy said. In previous seasons, there have been many one-off celebrations for Juneteenth, Hispanic Heritage Month and Pride festival. There were also nights when first responders and others were recognized at games.

“We got such great feedback on (other) festivals and turning the game into an event that that became something that we felt like should happen every game,” Levy said. “Coming off of COVID and being able to do things again and get bigger and bigger, we’re trying to grow back and get to that point.”

There has been more buzz around the 150-acre park this year, thanks to some international attention putting the Cary complex in the spotlight. The US Soccer Federation is considering Cary as a new site for its headquarters and a new training facility for professional athletes, The News & Observer reported last month. The headquarters is now in Chicago, and other cities such as Atlanta are in consideration.

And this June, The Soccer Tournament, a seven-on-seven tournament, will be held at WakeMed with 32 teams competing for a $1 million prize. One of those teams is Wrexham AFC, a Welsh soccer team owned by actors Ryan Reynolds (Marvel’s “Deadpool”) and Rob McElhenney (from FX’s “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”)

Introducing FanFest

One of the biggest additions at the soccer park this year is FanFest, which will be located in the parking lot in the north part of the stadium.

The gate at the northwest corner of the stadium will now become the primary entrance because of the space FanFest will take up, Levy said. Before, the entrance to the stadium was on the northeast side.

Coming into the parking lot, fans will have their tickets scanned and will walk through FanFest to enter the stadium. Parking scanners will increase to 10 this year, allowing for faster check-in points.

For 90 minutes before kickoff and during halftime, there will be inflatables, face painting, balloon artists, interactive games, vendors and other activities.

Soccer players will also be available for autographs and greeting fans before games, Levy said.

FanFest will look different each game, depending on the type of vendors available and what themes are in place for the game.

“The plan is to have the DJ who plays the music in the stadium be out there and having the emcee out there as well so fans can feel very connected,” Levy said.

In addition to food and beverage trucks on site, there will be a merchandise truck for NC Courage and NCFC items.

Draft beer available, other changes

This week, the North Carolina Football Club announced a partnership with the Town of Cary to designate Unique Food & Beverages, or UFB, as the new concessionaire for all events at the soccer park.

UFB, a Maryland-based company, has worked events for minor league teams and university games, Levy said.

This year, they will open more windows at each concession stand and will add new concessions at the southwest and northeast corners of the stadium with higher quality food choices.

The partnership brings back fountain soda and draft beer with options from local breweries and restaurants, Levy said.

To decrease wait times and long lines for food and beverages, UFB will streamline order processes and is adding different menus with grab-and-go options.

Fans will also be able to use mobile ordering.

For merchandise, fans can find three stands in the stadium, including the one inside FanFest. Each stand may have different stock but will sell fan favorites and a variety of options, the club said.

The football club’s new president, Francie Gottsegen, said in a news release that she “made a priority to observe every aspect of game day and sought constructive criticisms form guests to learn where we can improve.”

“We put a lot of work and planning into implementing these changes and we’re excited for our fans to experience the new game day at WakeMed Soccer Park,” she said in a news release.

After the NCFC season opener against South Georgia Tormenta, the National Women’s Soccer League champions NC Courage will have its first game on March 25 against the Kansas City Current.

Full season tickets and information are available at northcarolinafc.com and nccourage.com.