Coastal Credit Union and Carolina Athletics Announce Strategic Partnership to Support Student-Athletes, Fans and Communities Across North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (October 2, 2026) – Coastal Credit Union has been named the Official Credit Union of Carolina Athletics through a seven-year partnership that will expand financial education, engage student-athletes in community service, and create new experiences for Tar Heel fans and Coastal members across North Carolina.

The agreement builds on Coastal’s more than 30-year relationship with University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students, and will bring financial wellness programming, community initiatives, and year-round athletics activations to students, alumni, members, and fans.

“Carolina Athletics gives us a powerful platform to put financial education into action and extend our community impact across North Carolina,” said Tyler Grodi, president and CEO of Coastal Credit Union. “We’ll help students build skills for their financial futures while creating meaningful gameday experiences for our members and Tar Heel fans.”

Financial education and community programming will be a central component of the partnership. Coastal and Carolina Athletics will involve student-athletes in efforts that promote financial literacy, community service, and preparation for success beyond competition.

Coastal members and Tar Heel fans will see the partnership through gameday experiences, year-round digital content, community programs, and athletics-related activations. Coastal also plans to develop member affinity programs featuring Carolina branding.

Student-athlete influencer marketing campaigns will extend financial wellness and service messages through digital storytelling and social media, while venue advertising will introduce the collaboration to fans on gameday.

“Coastal’s record of advancing financial well-being and investing in North Carolina communities makes them a strong new partner for Carolina Athletics,” said Rick Barakat, Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Revenue Officer. “Together, we can reach fans across the state with impactful marketing concepts and meaningful experiences as we bring this sponsorship to life.”

The partnership with Coastal Credit Union was facilitated by Learfield’s Tar Heel Sports Properties, the exclusive multimedia rights holder for Carolina Athletics who oversees all sponsorship agreements on behalf of the Tar Heels.

About Carolina Athletics

The University of North Carolina, the nation’s first public university, offers 28 intercollegiate varsity sports and is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels have won 63 national championships and a total of 300 ACC Championships. UNC finished fourth in the Learfield Directors’ Cup in 2025-26, claiming the department’s seventh-straight top 10 finish. The department’s mission: to educate and inspire through athletics.

About Learfield

Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative revenue generation solutions, student-athlete marketing initiatives, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions. 

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