Skyhawks E5 | NC's complicated history with beer doomed the Skyhawks

03/08/23 • 33 min

Until a few years ago, alcohol at college sporting events was a delicate dance in hypocrisy. Back in 1991 without a special exemption, the sale of alcohol was not allowed at public university facilities. You could always tailgate with your own booze before the game and universities would hold private events where alcohol was available, but there was no public sale. The Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks played at NC State's Carter-Finley arena. The prohibition of beer sales presented a loss of revenue for the team and frankly a lack of fun for fans. It was yet another loss for a team that was already having a terrible season.

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Skyhawks E4 | Tony Haynes has a front row seat to an 0-10 season

Losing ain't easy. Losing for a whole season, well that's another level of pain. It wasn't just hard on players and coaches. As a broadcaster, Tony Haynes had a front row seat to the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks' losing season. Tony talks with Joe Ovies about the challenge of covering a team with an 0-10 record, and the toll of the season on everyone involved.

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Skyhawks E6 | End of the line for NC's first pro football team

Michael Kennedy was the equipment manager for the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks. Not a glamourous role, but there wasn't much that was glamourous about the World League of American Football. Kennedy, like the players and head coach Roman Gabriel, simply wanted to be part of this sports world. He had a front row seat for the one and only season of the Skyhawks. He shares what it was like to travel with the team, and what happened to all that glorious Skyhawks gear.

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