OWH: Now Is the Time to Reconfigure Memorial Stadium

[Red Five]

I don't care how many seats they add or take away. Just update the damn bathrooms. 

Trust me, they are way better than they used to be.

This would have been early 90s, I was 12ish.  I was at a game and really had to poop.  I go into the bathroom (south stadium I believe) and there are no doors on the stalls.  So I had to sit and drop a load while everyone walked by a looked at me.  I still have nightmares about that.

 

[MyBloodIsRed16]

they probably need to reduce the number of seats to zero.  That way when they are playing games with no fans they can keep the sell out streak alive

 

[knapplc]

they probably need to reduce the number of seats to zero.  That way when they are playing games with no fans they can keep the sell out streak alive

This guy playing 4D chess right here. :thumbs

 

[hunter49]

Reducing the # of seats does not = reducing ticket revenue. If the experience is improved enough, they can charge more per ticket.

that is probably not a good strategy----- in the short term for sure. many folks are cash strapped and not working, many will opt for the safety of home and saving money by watching from home. having to worry about finding a clean hotel/motel and eating out in a safe establishment.....assuming. the scheduled games even occur. uncertainty is still of concern.

 

[Mierin]

that is probably not a good strategy----- in the short term for sure. many folks are cash strapped and not working, many will opt for the safety of home and saving money by watching from home. having to worry about finding a clean hotel/motel and eating out in a safe establishment.....assuming. the scheduled games even occur. uncertainty is still of concern.

It's not relevant right now. We're talking about the future. Even if they began construction today it wouldn't be finished for this season. And I'm guessing there will be rules regulating how many can be in the stadium at the same time anyway.

 

[UniversalMartin]

A 60 inch, 4K HD TV is a bit different than an old Black and White TV. That, coupled with direct access to good food, beer, comfy seating, the ability to watch multiple games at the same time and not having to pay out the nose for what has been a bad product for a while now puts the advantage squarely in the corner of watching from home. The gameday atmosphere in and around the stadium is great, but its not nearly the same as it once was.

Exactly

 

[Mavric]

I'm a little surprised they didn't take a few more seats out of South Stadium like they did a few years ago.  Or perhaps they did and just didn't announce it.

I do think there will be some significant changes there.  But probably not for a couple years after the other project is completed.

 

[Hagg]

Downsizing is going to be a necessity, I think, in coming years as more and more people watch from home, but now is not the time to do any kind of major work on Memorial Stadium.

There is less interest.  Plus blue hairs are dying off.  Other reasons for needing a smaller capacity stadium are noted herein.  This 90 thousand + thing was a bad direction from the git-go as the big money boosters have been supporting it by buying up thousands of tickets and they are not going to continue doing that.  75 thousand would be large enough and would sell out for real in big games. 

 

[Born N Bled Red]

There is less interest.  Plus blue hairs are dying off.  Other reasons for needing a smaller capacity stadium are noted herein.  This 90 thousand + thing was a bad direction from the git-go as the big money boosters have been supporting it by buying up thousands of tickets and they are not going to continue doing that.  75 thousand would be large enough and would sell out for real in big games. 

I don't think there is less interest at all, what I do think is that season tickets have been priced out of entry level markets. When season tickets started, Nebraska was able to inflate season ticket prices as blue hairs saw their income levels increase with age. However now we need people at the early levels of their careers to backfill the loss of blue hairs. Eventually supply and demand will necessitate a drop in prices to maintain current attendance levels. 

 

[BigRedBuster]

I don't think there is less interest at all, what I do think is that season tickets have been priced out of entry level markets. When season tickets started, Nebraska was able to inflate season ticket prices as blue hairs saw their income levels increase with age. However now we need people at the early levels of their careers to backfill the loss of blue hairs. Eventually supply and demand will necessitate a drop in prices to maintain current attendance levels. 

I agree. And, those people early in their careers are swamped with family / kids activities every weekend. 
 

AND, any kid that’s graduated in the last 20 years has felt like they are stuffed over in the corner and don’t matter. 

 

[Hagg]

I don't think there is less interest at all, what I do think is that season tickets have been priced out of entry level markets. When season tickets started, Nebraska was able to inflate season ticket prices as blue hairs saw their income levels increase with age. However now we need people at the early levels of their careers to backfill the loss of blue hairs. Eventually supply and demand will necessitate a drop in prices to maintain current attendance levels. 

No disagreement (except for my feeling/observation that there does seem to be less interest, not dramatic.. but a sort of inertia in that direction as opposed to days in previous years).  I do think you're right in general about younger fans needed.... it makes my point in a way;  the bluehairs do die off but there was a time when that did not matter and even was seen as opportunities by those on waiting lists for season tix.

 

[Lorewarn]

I don't think there is less interest at all

Everything else you said is spot on but you're crazy if you don't think there is less interest overall.

The last three years I've been at watch sites in many different cities that I'd attended for several years, attendance numbers down 1/3 to 1/2. Personally, I can barely remember the results of any individual games from the last two seasons and I've always been the type to be able to recall 'Oh yeah that night game we beat Troy 56-0' specific scores and results from the last 20 years. 

 

[teachercd]

Everything else you said is spot on but you're crazy if you don't think there is less interest overall.

The last three years I've been at watch sites in many different cities that I'd attended for several years, attendance numbers down 1/3 to 1/2. Personally, I can barely remember the results of any individual games from the last two seasons and I've always been the type to be able to recall 'Oh yeah that night game we beat Troy 56-0' specific scores and results from the last 20 years. 

10 years ago it was like this in Omaha

""Okay, the game is at 2:30, can one of you get to the sports bar at like, 11:30 to grab a table?"

If you were not there 3-4 hours early, it was going to be a struggle to get a good spot and/or any table at all.  

It will be interesting to see what that is like this year.  

 

[Gorillahawk]

If the product on the field improves so will interest. The sell out streak and large attendance are directly related to the unbelievable run of success Nebraska had in the 70s, 80's 90's and early 00's. If Neb starts to win games against lesser opponents and are competitive against quality opponents this conversation will be moot.

 

[hunter49]

I think this is the only thing they possibly would do in most of the stadium.  This season looks like possibly a season where numbers at the games are going to be down.  So, widen the seats.  They won't put in permanent stadium seats because that locks them into never increasing capacity (reducing seat size) again.  

The only areas where I could see them putting in permanent stadium seats is possibly some of the premium spots between the 20s.  They would then boost the cost of the seats to make up for it.

sure, the cost of everything else is going up.  soon there will be a federal ticket tax for driving to the stadium in your gas powered vehicle.