OWH: Now Is the Time to Reconfigure Memorial Stadium

[Nebraska55fan]

Unfortunately upgrades can slide a bit at Memorial stadium in Lincoln Nebraska because they really do not have to compete with much. Nothing else in state and the closest similar venue is in KC. I’m sure this somewhat explains why our stadium amenities have not changed or improved since I was a student 40 years ago. The bathrooms and concessions and seating are a bad joke but it’s not like people are going to take their dollars elsewhere. Best hope is that B1G money keeps flowing and they get shamed into improvements.

Not entirely true. 

People have found out over the last couple of years, that they can survive without going in person. In fact, the replays are much better, seating is more comfortable, you can drink and socialize with friends in the comfort or your own home or backyard or even watch place. 

The sellout streak dies this year, even with pent up demand because people have found they can enjoy the game day experience in a different and more comfortable way. 

I have great faith in Trev- he has a history of being a visionary and taking risks. He is going to transform the game day experience, bring alcohol sales and much much more. Nebraska will not squander the last asset we have- strong fan support by saying f-u to the fans when it comes to a severely lacking game day experience. 

What Trev should do is totally ignore the white noise of those who really dont have any skin in the game. Listen to those who matter and are paying the bills- the season ticket holder. Why even care what people that arent going to games and paying the freight think about the game day experience> Its pointless and counter productive. If you aren't a season ticket holder STFU-- you don't get to have a say- vote. You're dead to Trev- his goal is to keep those of us who are contributing and attending to keep doing so. 

Im redesigning the intra state road system- why would I care about people that NEVER travel on or pay for the the road Im building? Seems pointless. 

 

[All Hail Herbie]

Not entirely true. 

People have found out over the last couple of years, that they can survive without going in person. In fact, the replays are much better, seating is more comfortable, you can drink and socialize with friends in the comfort or your own home or backyard or even watch place. 

The sellout streak dies this year, even with pent up demand because people have found they can enjoy the game day experience in a different and more comfortable way. 

I have great faith in Trev- he has a history of being a visionary and taking risks. He is going to transform the game day experience, bring alcohol sales and much much more. Nebraska will not squander the last asset we have- strong fan support by saying f-u to the fans when it comes to a severely lacking game day experience. 

I would agree with this sentiment.  The lack of a consistent and winning on-field product for more than a decade with the lack of attention from a younger fan base will likely end the sellout streak.  Younger fans want to two-screen (Memes / IMs / Texts) while having the game on in the background.  This younger group is also completed disconnected from any program success.  While a sad fact, the gameday experience for families will soon fade to obscurity.  

In terms of Trev, I like the hire.  I am not certain it changes our situation on-field in the short term, but it does give needed stability to the athletic department and boosters.  

 

[Lorewarn]

I could definitely see Trev Alberts making the incredibly unpopular choice of letting the streak die in order to make a long term play much more in the interest of the fans and the program. 

 

[Mavric]

I could definitely see Trev Alberts making the incredibly unpopular choice of letting the streak die in order to make a long term play much more in the interest of the fans and the program. 

One does not have to have anything to do with the other.

 

[gossamorharpy]

Im sure we’re both right to some degree. All I know is, Im going to watch every game this season on TV at home. If for some reason the only way to see any/all of the games was to go to a bar or watch site, then that is where I would watch the game(s).
 

Are you telling me you wouldn’t drive 15-30+ minutes to watch a Husker game, this season, at a bar or watch site if you couldn’t watch at home? It may not be scientific but it’s a pretty simple concept. Of course the best teams will draw more fans to their watch sites. Many fans like to gloat in public.

Theres def overlap lol.. Yes, I would most certainly make the drive and I've done it even with the game on regular ABC/ESPN/Fox/Big10 channel simply to watch with friends/family.  I think my point is, although I'm more on the extreme side of a husker fan, the vast majority of my friends who also support the team are not.  Its a helluva lot harder to corral 20 people to get together to watch a team that is sitting at 2-5 halfway through the year against an ohio state team that is sure to be a blood bath vs. trying to get the same group to spend a saturday night together to watch say a 6-2 game get put to the test against a better team.

It becomes a lot easier for my buddies to bail out of that 15-30 minute drive when the product is meh vs actually seeing something of substance

 

[Hilltop]

I would agree with this sentiment.  The lack of a consistent and winning on-field product for more than a decade with the lack of attention from a younger fan base will likely end the sellout streak.  Younger fans want to two-screen (Memes / IMs / Texts) while having the game on in the background.  This younger group is also completed disconnected from any program success.  While a sad fact, the gameday experience for families will soon fade to obscurity.  

In terms of Trev, I like the hire.  I am not certain it changes our situation on-field in the short term, but it does give needed stability to the athletic department and boosters.  

Kids want to go to games.  I asked a group of 8 kids over the weekend if they would rather go tanking/camping over memorial day weekend or go to the game- none of them hesitated in choosing the game.  I'll be the guy tailgating on the steps of Hurts Donuts prior to the game with a pile of kids... It will be a blast.

I do think Covid may end the streak but I think fan support is still strong and will continue to be if we can get the ship turned around soon.     

 

[gossamorharpy]

Do average fans attending watch parties give a crap about who we send to the NFL? Is that really a reason for decreased viewership at these said sites?

For that explicit reason no, I was more so just rattling off general observations to our steady decline being a direct driver to fan apathy increasing. Certainly a bigger factor than the decline of PPV programming, in my opinion.

I do think not enough attention has been paid to our NFL draft drought and the correlation to how this team has regressed the past decade.

Talent is still king and the fact that our NFL pipeline has dried up is a major contributing factor to our ineptitude as of late.

 

[Lorewarn]

One does not have to have anything to do with the other.

There are a lot of scenarios where they might not have anything to do with each other, you're right. I'm only speaking in the event of like what I remember in 2007 where there were mad scrambles behind the scenes last minute by the department to make sure tickets were 'sold', I could see him not worrying about acting in that way.

Not predicting it will happen either just seems plausible.

 

[Mavric]

There are a lot of scenarios where they might not have anything to do with each other, you're right. I'm only speaking in the event of like what I remember in 2007 where there were mad scrambles behind the scenes last minute by the department to make sure tickets were 'sold', I could see him not worrying about acting in that way.

Not predicting it will happen either just seems plausible.

But you can scramble to sell all the tickets without having any detrimental effect on any "long term play" for fans.  In fact, you could argue the opposite is true.

 

[Frostberg]

I would agree with this sentiment.  The lack of a consistent and winning on-field product for more than a decade with the lack of attention from a younger fan base will likely end the sellout streak.  Younger fans want to two-screen (Memes / IMs / Texts) while having the game on in the background.  This younger group is also completed disconnected from any program success.  While a sad fact, the gameday experience for families will soon fade to obscurity.  

In terms of Trev, I like the hire.  I am not certain it changes our situation on-field in the short term, but it does give needed stability to the athletic department and boosters.  

IDK my 16 year old cousin is a die hard fan. She's super excited to go to a huskers game with me this year and she has been to 1-3 games a year since she was 8 or so. All she wants for her birthday is husker gear or husker hounds gift cards. Can't speak about other kids but I don't see your bolded statement in my life. 

 

[Nebraska55fan]

Back in the day even as recently as 20 years ago- when we did camps, the only gear we would ever see was NU red. You MIGHT see a smattering of OU stuff from some rebel kid. 

Today you see Bama, OSU, Oregon, USC. OU, Texas- stuff from everywhere. NU is still the most prevalent- but it has diminished greatly. 

 

[JJ Husker]

Back in the day even as recently as 20 years ago- when we did camps, the only gear we would ever see was NU red. You MIGHT see a smattering of OU stuff from some rebel kid. 

Today you see Bama, OSU, Oregon, USC. OU, Texas- stuff from everywhere. NU is still the most prevalent- but it has diminished greatly. 

And 20-25 years ago we were a perennial top ten team, 3 nattys in a 4 year span. I know that’s kinda the point here but its pretty natural for there to always be a large bandwagon for the best teams. It doesn’t mean the Huskers are about to close up shop.

As far as the casual fan who would only drive across town to watch the Huskers play if/when they’re playing a lot better…..well, I don’t have much tolerance for fair weather fans. They’re a dime a dozen. And most young people aren’t that fanatical anyway. Heck most of them go into the stadium and spend 3 hours BSing and staring at their phone and have no clue what’s happening in the game. The lack of engagement from younger fans is not specific to Nebraska or their performance, its just a sign of the times.

 

[teachercd]

When I do to Lincoln to party for the game it is an event.

Meeting at my place or a friends at 8am, busting balls a bit and slamming a beer.  Getting in the car(s) and listening to pre-game, catching up, having fun, having a road beer (I think that is legal on game day), seeing the other fans driving down, trying to get lucky with a finding a free parking spot and then deciding what bar to hit up first.

Seeing all the red, hearing the Go Big Red chants, bar hopping and sometimes even seeing other old friends.  Then heading to the bar where we will watch the game with tons of other screaming fans.

Game ends and we usually hit up a place for some food or another beer and then the hour ride home is even more fun and more jokes.  

It is just a 8-10 hour day of catching up, wishing we were in college again and telling the same stories we have told a million times.  

Is it more comfortable at home?  Yeah, of course.  But it is hard to beat a "Dude, remember when..." story that one of your best friends is about to tell when you are altogether back in Lincoln or at a bar.

One game in Lincoln I missed a curb and twisted my ankle, bad.  I downed more booze and had a blast, still a great time.  The next day hurt like hell but oh well!

 

[Bledred]

I could definitely see Trev Alberts making the incredibly unpopular choice of letting the streak die in order to make a long term play much more in the interest of the fans and the program. 

Good point.  How much money are the boosters burning every year to keep the streak going??  Could not that money be used for better amenities, seats, etc.?  As pointed out in this Forbes article, our streak is safe and will never be broken:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidching/2019/11/21/with-notre-dames-sellout-streak-over-no-football-program-will-ever-touch-nebraskas-remarkable-run/

 

[JJ Husker]

Not entirely true. 

People have found out over the last couple of years, that they can survive without going in person. In fact, the replays are much better, seating is more comfortable, you can drink and socialize with friends in the comfort or your own home or backyard or even watch place. 

The sellout streak dies this year, even with pent up demand because people have found they can enjoy the game day experience in a different and more comfortable way. 

I have great faith in Trev- he has a history of being a visionary and taking risks. He is going to transform the game day experience, bring alcohol sales and much much more. Nebraska will not squander the last asset we have- strong fan support by saying f-u to the fans when it comes to a severely lacking game day experience. 

What Trev should do is totally ignore the white noise of those who really dont have any skin in the game. Listen to those who matter and are paying the bills- the season ticket holder. Why even care what people that arent going to games and paying the freight think about the game day experience> Its pointless and counter productive. If you aren't a season ticket holder STFU-- you don't get to have a say- vote. You're dead to Trev- his goal is to keep those of us who are contributing and attending to keep doing so. 

Im redesigning the intra state road system- why would I care about people that NEVER travel on or pay for the the road Im building? Seems pointless. 

I hate to break it to you but the season ticket holder is not the only concern. The pent up demand behind them is very important. It’s what makes their season tickets valuable and what lets them dump games they can’t or don’t want to go to. In effect, every person who ever goes to a game is some percentage of a season ticket holder.

I bought two full season tickets two years ago prior to the season. They were again offered to me for last season (which I did not do because I could see the pandemic problem coming). But, even with the full season we used 4 games, sold a couple and ate the last game (gave it away for free).

And BTW, I’ll go out on a limb here and say your prediction of the sellout streak ending this season will not happen. That’s bold. Most people just say it’s coming or right around the corner, as they’re making a big public display of how displeased they are but you put a date on it. We’ll see.