North Carolina football GM made ‘fundraising trip’ to Saudi Arabia, per report
By Jacob Moss
Published:
The North Carolina Tar Heels football program made a “fundraising trip” to Saudi Arabia 2 weeks before the coaching debut of Bill Belichick, according to a report from The Athletic’s Brendan Marks and Christopher Kamrani.
According to the report, North Carolina general manager Michael Lombardi traveled to Saudi Arabia on behalf of the program on what the vice chancellor for communications called an “exploratory fundraising trip” that the school knew about before Lombardi departed.
The report also includes a quote from an anonymous Tar Heels football official who confirmed the visit that Lombardi made, saying that Lombardi “went to Saudi Arabia to meet with high-ranking government officials to discuss potential partnership opportunities.” This official also went on to say that “The Saudis love UNC because of Coach Belichick and Michael Jordan.”
Officials within the UNC athletic department didn’t give any specific details regarding the individual that Lombardi met with, only describing him as a “college football fan” who was interested in “supporting coach Belichick.”
Lombardi himself declined to comment on any details surrounding the trip, but the university said that it did not result in any support for Belichick or the Tar Heels football program.
Per the report, no Tar Heel athletic or University funds were used to finance the trip. Everything travel-related was paid for by the Saudis.
Lombardi was hired by Belichick last December to help him assemble his first UNC team. North Carolina is 2-3 to open the year. The Tar Heels play at Cal on Friday night.
