Memorial Stadium

[Coyote]

NU takes steps to renovate Memorial Stadium

[Coyote]

Nebraska takes step to creating Memorial Stadium of future
With Memorial Stadium on the cusp of its 100th anniversary, the Nebraska athletic department on Thursday set the stage for a massive renovation that will make the venue more fan friendly for decades to come.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — With Memorial Stadium on the cusp of its 100th anniversary, the Nebraska athletic department on Thursday set the stage for a massive renovation that will make the venue more fan friendly for decades to come. University leaders also announced a new multimedia rights deal that would bring in more than $300 million over 15 years and said that alcohol would be sold at men’s and women’s basketball games at Pinnacle Bank Arena starting this season. The athletic department must get approval from the university Board of Regents, who are expected to approve the plans. The next board meeting is Sept. 30. Nebraska is scheduled to open a $160 million football facility next year, and the Big Ten’s billion-dollar-a-year media rights deal announced this summer will bring unprecedented windfalls to league members.

The announcements came less than two weeks after Nebraska began its search for a new football coach following the firing of Scott Frost. Athletic director Trev Alberts said discussions about stadium upgrades and the rights deal have been going on for months and that the timing is coincidental. “I’m not naive to perhaps the benefit of potential candidates saying, wow, in spite of some of our challenges in terms of wins and losses on the field, there’s a lot of momentum happening at the University of Nebraska,” Alberts said. “If that’s an unintended benefit, we’ll take it.” The Cornhuskers have played in Memorial Stadium since 1923 and incremental improvements have been made over the years, including luxury suites in 1999 and an expansion to more than 85,000 seats in 2013.

A redevelopment of the south end zone area, concession areas and concourses as well as improvements in digital infrastructure are likely, Alberts said. He had no cost estimate or timetable for the project. The athletic department received about 22,000 responses to a survey on what amenities fans would like in order to improve the stadium experience, Alberts said, and that feedback will be used in the decision-making process. Alberts noted the football team continues to get strong fan support even though it has not had a winning season since 2016. The school has an NCAA-record 385-game sellout streak that began in 1962. “We stick together through all kinds of weather,” Alberts said, quoting the school fight song. “I think the fans have stuck with us through some pretty nasty storms. I think it’s time for us to do our part.” The athletic department’s multimedia rights agreement with Playfly Sports would take effect Oct. 1. The deal guarantees $301 million over 15 years, or about $18.2 million annually. Playfly currently holds the multimedia rights for Southern California, LSU and Virginia, among other schools.

As part of the package, Alberts said, Playfly would contribute $1 million to name, image and likeness programs each of the first two years and additional undetermined amounts in following years. Alcohol would be sold only at Pinnacle Bank Arena as part of a two-year pilot program. Nebraska would receive 10% of the net profit, which Alberts said would amount to about $100,000 this basketball season. There will be no alcohol sales at Memorial Stadium because the facility is not properly equipped for that, Alberts said. Neither will there be sales at the Haymarket Park baseball stadium for now because of existing agreements between the university, city of Lincoln and the Lincoln Saltdogs independent league team.

[Greg S]

This will be another large construction project coming to Lincoln and UNL. So much activity in Lincoln and it will only lead to more. Very very cool.

Greg

[Coyote]

Nebraska Football | Go Big Project Construction Update

Nebraska Huskers
Go Big Project Construction Update

[edsas2]

Great project.

And how awesome it is having Lied Place adding to the city scape beyond campus!

[Greg S]

Here's the latest video. Really does a good job showing how impressive the finished product will be:

[Coyote]

Nebraska reduces season ticket prices to celebrate 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium
Nebraska will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium throughout 2023 with numerous plans to commemorate the historic milestone. The first of those will be a one-year reduction in football season ticket prices for the 2023 season.

Nebraska will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium throughout 2023 with numerous plans to commemorate the historic milestone. The first of those will be a one-year reduction in football season ticket prices for the 2023 season. Nebraska Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Trev Alberts announced on Tuesday that 2023 season tickets will cost $320 for seven home games. The public season ticket price is a $100 reduction from the 2022 season ticket price of $420 for seven home games and represents a 24 percent cost savings for Husker fans.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Nebraska reduces season ticket prices to celebrate 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium

A likely story..

[Louie]

Nebraska reduces season ticket prices to celebrate 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium

A likely story..

Yeah this has nothing to do with the totally phony sellout streak

[Coyote]

Changes Coming to East Stadium
New club level seats will greet Husker fans in 2023

When Nebraska football has its home opener next fall, a portion of the stadium will look a bit different. Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts announced Tuesday on Sports Nightly that the original east balcony will transform into a new club level. The new seating will mirror the club level in West Stadium. The update will result in a reduction of more than 600 seats. Instead of being part of the holistic vision for stadium improvements, Alberts said the move is more out of necessity. “We really needed to do this a year ago, frankly,” Alberts said. “We kind of held off because I wanted to see whether the entire stadium project would move forward. But we just can’t wait.

[Louie]

What's he referring to with 'entire stadium project'?

[nebugeater]

What's he referring to with 'entire stadium project'?

I believe there was a loosely announced plan for stadium improvements/changes a few months ago after the survey of many ticket holders was released. I would look at it as more of a master plan and not a project plan.

[Linkin5]

Would guess we are going to get an announcement for the renovation of south stadium within the next year.

[Coyote]

Building for the Future | Nebraska Football Go Big Facility

Go Big is taking shape! We are building for the future and our state-of-the-art facility wouldn't be possible without the support of you Husker Nation.

[Coyote]

Progress of Nebraska football's new facility

[Coyote]

Nebraska Board of Regents votes on concepts for renovating Memorial Stadium



More than 21,000 Husker fans stopped cheering long enough to fill out surveys, revealing what they want Memorial Stadium to look like. “They know they want a stadium of the future,” said University of Nebraska President Ted Carter. “I mean, as iconic and great as Memorial Stadium is, there’s a lot of upgrades. They’re just simple things like widening the seats, putting the backs on the seats, access points to concessions, even moving the student body section where it’s more relevant for our students.” Carter says there will be a lot of things the university has to do in the renovation process, and some other things that would be nice to have -- they just have to find a balance. And the idea of beer in the stadium hasn’t gone flat.

[Coyote]

Retracing the history of Nebraska football



Memorial Stadium was not the original home of Nebraska football.

[Longlurker]

Info from inside the renovation project says 1. Infrastructure for alcohol sales will be added, but potentially not utilized until a certain influential individual passes on. 2. Leaning strongly towards a natural grass field.

[S.O.Boy]

until a certain influential individual passes on.

Hmmmmm, I wonder who that is - sarcasm

[nebugeater]

Info from inside the renovation project says 1. Infrastructure for alcohol sales will be added, but potentially not utilized until a certain influential individual passes on. 2. Leaning strongly towards a natural grass field.

They are not making decisions on alcohol sales based on whether TO is alive or not.

[Longlurker]

Just relaying what someone pretty deep in the project had to say. Selling alcohol is the logical and inevitable course. The stadium is ill equipped to do so with current layout. So the reno will address that specifically. T.O. is very against it. But he's 86. The reno is going to take quite some time as it is. So who knows if he will be around for the finished product anyways.

But yes, he did say the powers that be are hesitant to sell booze at home games while he's still alive, but want to be ready to go so to speak.

[Longlurker]

Also, no surprise here. When they do sell alcohol, re-entry will go away. No more running to a tailgate or local bar at half time and coming back for the end.

[Garrett]

I’m still a bit confused as to why the influence of Tom Osborne is so significant that they can’t sell alcohol with him alive. What’s he gonna do if they start selling alcohol while he’s alive? Is everyone just worried about upsetting him and nothing else? Waiting for him to die and basically openly talking about that being the final domino to fall is odd.

[Linkin5]

I’m still a bit confused as to why the influence of Tom Osborne is so significant that they can’t sell alcohol with him alive. What’s he gonna do if they start selling alcohol while he’s alive? Is everyone just worried about upsetting him and nothing else? Waiting for him to die and basically openly talking about that being the final domino to fall is odd.

Not saying it’s true (I don’t think it is), but if it were it’s because he is one of two people that are responsible for Nebraska being remotely relevant despite the last 7 years being a complete disaster. His opinion is important because he built Nebraska into what it is.

Not surprised about the grass field with data pointing towards increased leg injuries with turf.

A bigger version of the new Iowa end zone in south stadium would look really good, hopefully we’ll see something similar.

[Coyote]

We've been excited for months': Businesses and fans ready for Husker home opener

[Linkin5]

There will be news coming out this week about stadium upgrade plans.

[djc311]

There will be news coming out this week about stadium upgrade plans.

Hopefully it includes beer

[Brad]

There will be news coming out this week about stadium upgrade plans.

Hopefully it includes beer

I believe 1620 said it would come out this Thursday. (May be next Thursday). Basicity they want to get it out before it shows up on the Board or Regents agenda.

[djc311]

I’m still a bit confused as to why the influence of Tom Osborne is so significant that they can’t sell alcohol with him alive. What’s he gonna do if they start selling alcohol while he’s alive? Is everyone just worried about upsetting him and nothing else? Waiting for him to die and basically openly talking about that being the final domino to fall is odd.

Not saying it’s true (I don’t think it is), but if it were it’s because he is one of two people that are responsible for Nebraska being remotely relevant despite the last 7 years being a complete disaster. His opinion is important because he built Nebraska into what it is.

Not surprised about the grass field with data pointing towards increased leg injuries with turf.

A bigger version of the new Iowa end zone in south stadium would look really good, hopefully we’ll see something similar.

I understand his opinion is important - but it's just that, an opinion. And if his opinion is costing the university another $50 million or whatever in potential beer sales, then get over it. You can't have it both ways... either they are trying to profit from the opportunities that are available or they're not. It's downright silly that he should even have anything to say about it. He's not the president of the university and he's no longer in government. Unless he's so anti-beer that he doesn't want the field named after him if they're selling alcohol. But even that is dumb and shouldn't matter.

On another note, I always wondered what his pep talks would have been like in the locker rooms. You know 99% of the coaches out there use F-bombs and all sorts of language to motivate their players especially when they're losing. Did Tom just go in there and say "Hey guys, gosh darn it, things are not going very well. Can you please just play better? I mean shoot, look at the other team... they seem to be doing a really good job at playing football."

[Brad]

$450 million Memorial Stadium renovation aims to enhance Nebraska fan, student experience

https://omaha.com/sports/huskers/footba ... OWHhuskers

The improvements will also mean displacement of some 23,000 fans in South Stadium for at least one season beginning in 2025, plus a permanent reduction of the stadium’s seating capacity to 80,000.

Preliminary plans — up for approval before the University of Nebraska Board of Regents next Thursday — call for the total demolition of South Stadium. It will be replaced by a new multiple-level grandstand featuring a new student section and back concourse where students can gather and mingle, new premium seating with lounge areas, and general seating with chair backs.

[Greg S]

I absolutely think the redo of the stadium will coincide with alcohol sales there.

[Garrett]

I absolutely think the redo of the stadium will coincide with alcohol sales there.

"Decided by the regents at some future date" according to Alberts, preparing his shoes to one day tap dance on Osborne's grave.

[Coyote]

Omaha.com Podcast: Sam McKewon and Henry Cordes break down Memorial Stadium's $450 million



In the latest episode of the Omaha.com Podcast, Sam McKewon and Henry Cordes break down Nebraska's $450 million renovation of Memorial Stadium.

[Louie]

With South Stadium transitioning from a single large section to a double decker grandstand, it creates a practical horseshoe stadium with only the North Stadium breaking up a full double decker bowl.

[Coyote]

Nebraska announces plans to modernize, renovate Memorial Stadium



A $450 million plan to renovate and modernize Memorial Stadium will be considered at the next Board of Regents meeting.

[gisbuxfan]

I haven’t listened to the podcast posted earlier, but is there talk in this expansion about the capacity increase for games?

[Cup of Cheese]

I'm curious where the funding comes from. Wasn't there an announcement earlier this year there was a 58 million dollar budget shortfall?

[Garrett]

I haven’t listened to the podcast posted earlier, but is there talk in this expansion about the capacity increase for games?

The capacity is actually dropping about 10-12%

[gisbuxfan]

That’s a big surprise. I wonder what the thinking behind that was?

I haven’t listened to the podcast posted earlier, but is there talk in this expansion about the capacity increase for games?

The capacity is actually dropping about 10-12%

[Louie]

That’s a big surprise. I wonder what the thinking behind that was?

I haven’t listened to the podcast posted earlier, but is there talk in this expansion about the capacity increase for games?

The capacity is actually dropping about 10-12%

Probably how bad the team has been for the past decade and the fact that the sellout streak is artificial anyway. Lower capacity, give better amenities, ensure sellout streak lives on.