Memorial Stadium

[Omaha747]

Very true, but I just can't see it happening on the college level with a storied history. Kansas also can play at Arrowhead whereas we don't really have anywhere near Lincoln in which they can play with much of a crowd whatsoever. I believe I heard that the entire Kansas operation has been a mess too? I think they canceled some of the original plans if I remember correctly.

[Coyote]

Nebraska Public Media Originals
In The Deed The Glory :
Memorial Stadium



Lincoln, Nebraska is home to a college football cathedral. For 100 years, a once simple stadium has become hallowed ground for a sport and a state.

[nebugeater]

I heard from a "reliable source" that alcohol sales at Memorial Stadium starting for next season will be in front of the Regents at their next meeting

[Trips1]

This Friday I sat in the 600 section of the East Stadium and that will be the last time. There is no Verizon reception and the WiFi did not reach our seats. The season ticket holders around there informed me that I needed to go by the snack bars to connect. They need to get that fixed.

[skinzfan23]

This Friday I sat in the 600 section of the East Stadium and that will be the last time. There is no Verizon reception and the WiFi did not reach our seats. The season ticket holders around there informed me that I needed to go by the snack bars to connect. They need to get that fixed.

I sat in section 17 row 25 or so for the N Iowa game and I couldn't wifi to work for me either.

[nebugeater]

This Friday I sat in the 600 section of the East Stadium and that will be the last time. There is no Verizon reception and the WiFi did not reach our seats. The season ticket holders around there informed me that I needed to go by the snack bars to connect. They need to get that fixed.

The public's Wi-Fi does not work this year in the stadium. I am "guessing" that they reallocated that bandwidth for the cashless pay system. Before the season was started, there was an announcement buried in a press release that stated that they were improving wifi in the concourse area, but the in-stadium would not be available as it had been. I will see if I can find that again. They did say it would be addressed and that the added cell phone coverage is coming but that was off a ways too. THe three games I have been to have had no WIFI and the Verizon cell coverage has been miserable I have sat in Section 2 row 16 for the games I have been to this year. Last year the WIFI was not great to be definitely more than serviceable throughout the game. Last year, I could livestream a couple of things on Facebook. Not a chance at all this year

[skinzfan23]

I was able to get wifi walking around inside the stadium and in the concourse, just not in my seat.

[nebugeater]

I was able to get wifi walking around inside the stadium and in the concourse, just not in my seat.

That matches what I summarised from the press release I read

[skinzfan23]

From the OWH article:
New 'massive' video board coming
Nebraska plans a “massive, massive” HuskerVision video board that will loom over the renovated South Stadium in 3-to-5 years, Dannen said, but the North Stadium video board may be replaced for next season if NU can pluck out the current one and install a new one in its place.

“The north board has outlived its useful life,” Dannen said.

I was wondering when this was going to happen. The current board was designed in 2006 and it was upgraded in 2017

[Brad]

Both shows today on 1620 (Sharp and Handley as well as Connor Happer), talked about Memorial Stadium going cashless. Apparently since going cashless this year, sales have gone from an average of 375,000.00 per game on 2024 to over $900,000.00 per game in 2024!

Happer didn't get too much in to it, but Sharp and Handley speculated a little cash theft may have been going on.

[Trips1]

Both shows today on 1620 (Sharp and Handley as well as Connor Happer), talked about Memorial Stadium going cashless. Apparently since going cashless this year, sales have gone from an average of 375,000.00 per game on 2024 to over $900,000.00 per game in 2024!

Happer didn't get too much in to it, but Sharp and Handley speculated a little cash theft may have been going on.

Night games help food sales as everyone has been drinking all day. They also did raise prices on some things and now charge the sales tax and occupation tax on top of the sale. $5 pizza is now $5.47. pop or polish are now $6.56. That is before the tip of 15%, 18%, 20% or other.

The only future game this year I will be going to will be at Iowa. I hate to say it but they have their WiFi and beer sales experience down.

[skinzfan23]

The only future game this year I will be going to will be at Iowa. I hate to say it but they have their WiFi and beer sales experience down.

not so much for Carver Hawkeye for basketball....here that place is a mess for concessions. Not to mention they don't have many offerings.

[Greg S]

Both shows today on 1620 (Sharp and Handley as well as Connor Happer), talked about Memorial Stadium going cashless. Apparently since going cashless this year, sales have gone from an average of 375,000.00 per game on 2024 to over $900,000.00 per game in 2024!

Happer didn't get too much in to it, but Sharp and Handley speculated a little cash theft may have been going on.

Night games help food sales as everyone has been drinking all day. They also did raise prices on some things and now charge the sales tax and occupation tax on top of the sale. $5 pizza is now $5.47. pop or polish are now $6.56. That is before the tip of 15%, 18%, 20% or other.

The only future game this year I will be going to will be at Iowa. I hate to say it but they have their WiFi and beer sales experience down.

Has it been asking you for a tip? When I have purchased it did not give that option and I have been to all 4 home games and purchased at each.

[Greg S]

Some other news from the AD show on Tuesday, Verizon is going to do an 8 figure investment on Wifi before next season in Memorial Stadium to upgrade it. An even bigger improvement will come when the stadium is redone in the 2026/2027 timeframe.

Troy Dannen has been in contact with Bud Crawford's manager to express interest in hosting a fight at Memorial stadium. He mentioned there's been a couple US crowds for boxing at 90kish and thinks NU hosting could be the US attendance record.

Greg

[skinzfan23]

Has it been asking you for a tip? When I have purchased it did not give that option and I have been to all 4 home games and purchased at each.

I have only been to the UNI game so far, but it did ask for a tip at the concession stand but not sure about the vendors in the seats.

[nebugeater]

I have been to three games. What I see is the card readers ask for tips at the concession stands but not by the people roming, although I have seen a couple ask to add a tip, and then the seller clicks something to give them the option.

[skinzfan23]

That makes sense bc that would be weird for the people that pass their card to the end of the row to pay. They would have to tell people to leave a tip for them. Could turn into an interesting game of telephone.

[Greg S]

That makes sense bc that would be weird for the people that pass their card to the end of the row to pay. They would have to tell people to leave a tip for them. Could turn into an interesting game of telephone.

Yeah they hand you the machine down the row instead of you passing down the card.

[nebugeater]

That makes sense bc that would be weird for the people that pass their card to the end of the row to pay. They would have to tell people to leave a tip for them. Could turn into an interesting game of telephone.

Yeah they hand you the machine down the row instead of you passing down the card.

Not where I have been sitting. I have seats 3 & 4, so Just off the isle. In three games I have been at I have passed a lot of cards back and forth and never the card reader.

[Greg S]

That makes sense bc that would be weird for the people that pass their card to the end of the row to pay. They would have to tell people to leave a tip for them. Could turn into an interesting game of telephone.

Yeah they hand you the machine down the row instead of you passing down the card.

Not where I have been sitting. I have seats 3 & 4, so Just off the isle. In three games I have been at I have passed a lot of cards back and forth and never the card reader.

I have aisle seats and haven't passed a card yet, it's only been the reader.

[nebugeater]

That makes sense bc that would be weird for the people that pass their card to the end of the row to pay. They would have to tell people to leave a tip for them. Could turn into an interesting game of telephone.

Yeah they hand you the machine down the row instead of you passing down the card.

Not where I have been sitting. I have seats 3 & 4, so Just off the isle. In three games I have been at I have passed a lot of cards back and forth and never the card reader.

I have aisle seats and haven't passed a card yet, it's only been the reader.

It's crazy that it is different. So much for a standard policy

[OmahaRedWing]

Just got a notification that the stadium renovation has been put on hold per AD Dannen.

[OmahaRedWing]

Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen says plans to renovate Memorial Stadium are on hold for now

https://www.ketv.com/article/nebraska-t ... d/65637898

Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen announced Friday that the plans to renovate Memorial Stadium are on hold for now.

Dannen said it is because of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's budget deficit.

"Now is not the time to debut a big capital project," Dannen said.

[djc311]

Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen says plans to renovate Memorial Stadium are on hold for now

https://www.ketv.com/article/nebraska-t ... d/65637898

Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen announced Friday that the plans to renovate Memorial Stadium are on hold for now.

Dannen said it is because of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's budget deficit.

"Now is not the time to debut a big capital project," Dannen said.

They're not generating the football revenue they did... when they were good.

I'm a Husker fan, always will be! But it doesn't take a genius to realize they can't fill the stadium now (legitimately)... the sellout streak is a joke at this point.

If they (Huskers) were contenders and were dominating, they probably wouldn't have even allowed alcohol sales in the stadium this year. As a fan, I am glad they finally opened this up - but I think they did it more out of hope to keep people coming than as a courtesy to offer fans something they really want.

I hope to see them get back to that point and I'm optimistic they'll be better this year than in recent years. But boy, do I miss the 90's teams.

It will be interesting to see what they do in the next couple of years with the food service side of things - with this new contract, there's no guarantees they'll continue offering Fairbury hot dogs, Runzas or Valentino's pizza. If they drop any of these, it will be a sad day in Husker nation, IMO.

[PWL73316]

UNL is cutting academic programs and I think this pause is more due to the bad PR it would cause to start renovating while they are firing professors and such. Nebraska Athletics doesn't have an issue getting the money. The cuts at the university are "only" $27 million while the renovations will cost at least $500 million and maybe way more.

[djc311]

UNL is cutting academic programs and I think this pause is more due to the bad PR it would cause to start renovating while they are firing professors and such. Nebraska Athletics doesn't have an issue getting the money. The cuts at the university are "only" $27 million while the renovations will cost at least $500 million and maybe way more.

True - would be VERY BAD optics to eliminate curriculum while spending hundreds of millions renovating a stadium for the football program.

[nebugeater]

UNL is cutting academic programs and I think this pause is more due to the bad PR it would cause to start renovating while they are firing professors and such. Nebraska Athletics doesn't have an issue getting the money. The cuts at the university are "only" $27 million while the renovations will cost at least $500 million and maybe way more.

We have a winner!

[omaha79]

For once they are doing the common sense thing and not being totally tone deaf. In the past, even if they were increasing tuition and/or eliminating programs, I'd have no doubt that the football machine would keep roaring ahead, but times have changed and football just isn't what it once was.

Maybe there will come a day where the university can be something more than the University of Nebraska Football at Football, but it's still a poorly regarded academic institution that is a joke in the Big Ten in regards to its standing amongst their peers both on the gridiron and in the classrooms.

But, I've said it before. Nebraska needs to do some winning...and soon. If they don't, I see a day where the Big Ten realizes the juice isn't worth the squeeze, and if they have someone better, might just give Nebraska the maximum opportunity to seek another conference by kicking them out. they haven't been good on the field, lost their AAU status, and are now basically in a fiscal crisis and having to cut programs. If they don't get their act together soon, and the Big Ten sees an opportunity with a few other schools, NU could be an odd man out.

[Brad]

What if the upcoming "Road Game" at Arrowhead in KC goes really well. Like sea of red and it's a great home field environment. Any chance they blow up Memorial Stadium and build something completely new and state of the art with all the bells and whistles? Meanwhile the team plays in Arrowhead for two years...

[nebport5]

What if the upcoming "Road Game" at Arrowhead in KC goes really well. Like sea of red and it's a great home field environment. Any chance they blow up Memorial Stadium and build something completely new and state of the art with all the bells and whistles? Meanwhile the team plays in Arrowhead for two years...

There’s a better chance of Omaha landing The Rays…


and Rod Yates getting an NHL team in Gretna.


Edit: The first part will occur, in there being a sea of red and it will feel like a home game.

[djc311]

What if the upcoming "Road Game" at Arrowhead in KC goes really well. Like sea of red and it's a great home field environment. Any chance they blow up Memorial Stadium and build something completely new and state of the art with all the bells and whistles? Meanwhile the team plays in Arrowhead for two years...

I never see them tearing down Memorial Stadium.

Too much history... too much nostalgia, etc. I think the only way they'd consider that is if the team got extremely good again, won some championships and they tried to push it then. Unfortunately I think Nebraska's hey day of kicking |expletive| in football came and went. Thankfully I was able to see it in my lifetime during my college years.

I'd love to be proven wrong - but my expectations are quite low considering the last 3 decades of sub par performance. Outside of the fluke winning seasons, they've pretty much sucked. I can easily say this as I am a fan - I just know reality and it set in quite some time ago.

[OverlookedFarm]

I think you're going to see a lot of empty seats this fall. As in, a lot more than you have ever seen before.

This could lead to more and more "gimmicks" to modernize the stadium, ie, tear down original sections to bring on new sports ball fans. Never underestimate the forces pulling the strings. Donors, regents, special interests. They will bulldoze any functional building in order to hang their name on it.

I was a NU fan all my life, but the increased and now overt and legal professionalism in college sports has pretty much killed any remaining interest, gambling or no. $19 runza and mich ultra? Yeah, please dream up another reason for me NOT to attend.

[nebugeater]

What if the upcoming "Road Game" at Arrowhead in KC goes really well. Like sea of red and it's a great home field environment. Any chance they blow up Memorial Stadium and build something completely new and state of the art with all the bells and whistles? Meanwhile the team plays in Arrowhead for two years...

That is what should be done. Will it, not likely

[omaha79]

I think you're going to see a lot of empty seats this fall. As in, a lot more than you have ever seen before.

This could lead to more and more "gimmicks" to modernize the stadium, ie, tear down original sections to bring on new sports ball fans. Never underestimate the forces pulling the strings. Donors, regents, special interests. They will bulldoze any functional building in order to hang their name on it.

I was a NU fan all my life, but the increased and now overt and legal professionalism in college sports has pretty much killed any remaining interest, gambling or no. $19 runza and mich ultra? Yeah, please dream up another reason for me NOT to attend.

I agree with this. Take a look at the secondary market on Seat Geek and Tickpick right now. It's the definition of a "soft market". Hope opener, get you in the door tickets going for about $65 with fees. Tickets to Big Ten games in the $60's and $70's. This is during the pre-season when the hype is usually off the charts and all the rose colored glasses brigade are usually talking 9 win seasons.

If this team delivers and starts out 3-4 wins right away and Raiola looks like a Heisman candidate, that could change. But, god forbid they lose one early and the bottom will fall out of the ticket market completely.

I'll just say, I've never seen this little hype over Nebraska football in my lifetime, and I'm talking everything from Callahan, to Riley, to the later Frost debacle years. I think with the economy and being sold a bill of goods multiple times, the fanbase is finally playing "show me."

I don't blame them.

[djc311]

I think you're going to see a lot of empty seats this fall. As in, a lot more than you have ever seen before.

This could lead to more and more "gimmicks" to modernize the stadium, ie, tear down original sections to bring on new sports ball fans. Never underestimate the forces pulling the strings. Donors, regents, special interests. They will bulldoze any functional building in order to hang their name on it.

I was a NU fan all my life, but the increased and now overt and legal professionalism in college sports has pretty much killed any remaining interest, gambling or no. $19 runza and mich ultra? Yeah, please dream up another reason for me NOT to attend.

By no means do I think that's cheap, but I was surprised you could get a food item and a beer for under $20. My understanding is several professional teams charge well over $20 for a single beer. I can't believe it - who pays for that nonsense?

Of course if you feel the Runza deal isn't a good bargain, you can always go the route of 2 red hot dogs and a Mich for the same price! LOL

Wonder what a slice of Val's pizza and a beer will be?

I am a little concerned if they don't play well this year that the availability of beer in the stadium could lead to more idiots than usual. But, I feel it was long overdue to bring it to the game.

[riceweb]

Tickets are still substantially more expensive on average than the end of the Callahan era. Tickets for the Michigan game are $300/each that I could have had for $50 back in '07. Much too expensive for me and my family to go to a game next year.

Huskers are going to start 3-0. If you think prices are low now, they sure won't be after the 3-0 start.

[omaha79]

Tickets are still substantially more expensive on average than the end of the Callahan era. Tickets for the Michigan game are $300/each that I could have had for $50 back in '07. Much too expensive for me and my family to go to a game next year.

Huskers are going to start 3-0. If you think prices are low now, they sure won't be after the 3-0 start.

Michigan is the marquee game. That's cherry picking. There has also been a ton of inflation since 2007. I can go back to 1995 and say I'd never pay $100 for a single football game, but it's not 1995 anymore.

Looking at SeatGeek, right this moment, you can get 2 tickets to most games for roughly $65, with fees. That means they are selling the actual tickets for in the range of $40. The only exceptions to that are Michigan and Iowa. You can get into USC for $83. Most games are way less.

I already said if the team goes 3-0, those prices will go up, even if momentarily. But, god forbid they lose one.

I'll still say this is the softest market I've seen overall.

[OverlookedFarm]

Tickets are still substantially more expensive on average than the end of the Callahan era. Tickets for the Michigan game are $300/each that I could have had for $50 back in '07. Much too expensive for me and my family to go to a game next year.

Huskers are going to start 3-0. If you think prices are low now, they sure won't be after the 3-0 start.

Exactly.

Nu lost 3 generations of fans (post solich era) because going as a family is simply far too expensive. there was a window of opp to sell family block packages at a discount, but they blew it.

im old enough to remember empty streets, kids soccer games getting called early, businesses closing for a game day.

people simply wont put up with this and the 7+hr time commitment to attend a televised game. they have other options for entertainment.

cfb is now b-league pro sports. i havent watched a pro game since the 1986 afc championship, i certainly wont watch this. the connection link to your local hs standout is irrepairably broken. it was fun while it lasted.

[nebport5]

Meanwhile 66,000 tickets have been sold for the Arrowhead game and about 6,000 of those are from the Cincinnati area.

[Trips1]

In 2007 Nebraska received $9.1 million as part of the Big 12. In 2025 they will receive between $80 and $100 million. This is all from people that are watching the game at home and paying more for their TV subscription. They have a little room to lower ticket prices. In the last 10 years, we were top 5 in prices and bottom 15 in value (Price/Wins).

Beer and food prices do not include tax and an entertainment like fee that pushes that beer and Runza to $21. Part of the reason that beer prices are expensive are that they do not want younger kids going crazy. When I worked at an arena their thought was that selling 10 beers at $10 is better than 20 beers at $6.