The Univ. of North Carolina on Saturday held its first ever yard sale, "selling off old and used sports gear that was simply taking up too much space in its athletic department equipment rooms," according to C.L. Brown of ESPN.com. Normally items sold -- such as jerseys, shoes and lacrosse sticks -- get "forwarded to the state's surplus store because technically, at a public university, the equipment purchased is state property." That is why UNC "had to allow the public equal opportunity to purchase" uniforms and shoes, instead of just giving them "to the former players who used them." Organizers expected the Jordan brand shoes and those with the argyle pattern "would be in high demand, so they limited shoes to one per person." UNC AD Bubba Cunningham said that the university "consulted with other schools -- including NC State and East Carolina -- that have had similar sales for tips." Cunningham is "already thinking of ways to improve the sale for the next time the school holds the event." Cunningham said that they "weren't really able to predict what would be most popular." However, he did say that they "should have put a limit on basketball jerseys." UNC advertised "more than 12,000 items for sale, starting in price from $5 socks and wristbands." The most expensive two items "were $50 navy blue football jerseys and argyle shoes." Everything else "seemed to range between $15-25." Cunningham said when the total amount is tallied, "we could end up with $100,000." The money will go toward "purchasing a new washing machine for the football equipment room." Cunningham added that he would "put the rest toward the student-athlete's fueling station" (ESPN.com, 5/16).
