LINCOLN — Nebraska football is scheduled to open its season Sept. 5 at Rutgers, where it’s likely fewer than 500 people will be in attendance because of the state of New Jersey’s event mandate related to the coronavirus pandemic.
NU Athletic Director Bill Moos expects a much larger crowd one week later, when the Huskers host Illinois for their first home game of the season.
How big will the crowd be inside Memorial Stadium? Moos said his team has run just about every scenario possible, including one in which the stadium is packed to capacity. But he doesn’t know yet which fan playbook the Huskers might use.
“We’re ready for any scenario, ranging from full capacity, to 75% to 50%, and I certainly hope it wouldn’t be less than that,” Moos said of a stadium that can hold just over 90,000 fans. “But we can address that, as well, and we have plans in place for all of it.”
Right now, Gov. Pete Ricketts’ directed health measure allows a maximum of 10,000 spectators at an outdoor event such as Nebraska football. That’s roughly 11.1% of capacity. But Ricketts said in his Wednesday press conference he’s working with the university and the Lancaster County Health Department “to be able to craft a plan.”
“It’s still five weeks away, a little too early to tell,” Ricketts said.
Moos said his events team — led by associate athletic director for event management, Matt Davidson — has worked through every detail of staging a game “for six, seven weeks” from contactless tickets to social distancing within the stadium to fans having to wear masks.
“I’m pretty positive that they would at this point,” Moos said of fans wearing masks. “But, again, we’re six weeks away from the game.”
The logistics of fans arriving to and leaving the stadium may pose a greater challenge than distancing them once they’re in the bleachers. Memorial Stadium features several narrow, winding concourses — with tight entrance tunnels — all over the complex. Even fans who head up to one of NU’s 101 suites generally have to wait in a lobby full of other fans before they cram into elevators so tightly packed with boosters and reporters that a slight, collective chuckle often arises just before the doors close.
“It might be like a wedding or church, where the usher takes you out row by row,” Moos said. “I don’t discount anything in that regard. We need to be careful. It may take longer to enter, and longer
“But our fans are starved for Husker football. They’re the best fans in college football and they will endure those kinds of challenges just to get a chance to watch good football and be back into something that’s somewhat normal.”
Moos didn’t know if or how many fans have opted out of attending games this season. He wasn’t concerned about ticket demand, though, based on the waiting list NU has for season tickets. He presumed fans who had concerns about attending games had a network of family and friends to whom they could give the tickets.
Ricketts said fans should “use their own discretion” about using football tickets this fall, especially fans who might be at greater risk of complications from the coronavirus. Of the 1,644 hospitalizations so far from the coronavirus in the state of Nebraska, 615 have been persons 65 or older.
“Everybody should use their own discretion about using their tickets,” Ricketts said. “For example, if you’re older, with those underlying health care conditions, I would recommend you give your ticket to your nephew, or somebody else, and you not go to the game.”
Although plans can’t be finalized, Moos knows this much: Nebraska already has two fewer home games in 2020 than it expected. That comes with a hefty price tag.
“Thirty million,” Moos said.
NU Athletic Director Bill Moos expects a much larger crowd one week later, when the Huskers host Illinois for their first home game of the season.
How big will the crowd be inside Memorial Stadium? Moos said his team has run just about every scenario possible, including one in which the stadium is packed to capacity. But he doesn’t know yet which fan playbook the Huskers might use.
“We’re ready for any scenario, ranging from full capacity, to 75% to 50%, and I certainly hope it wouldn’t be less than that,” Moos said of a stadium that can hold just over 90,000 fans. “But we can address that, as well, and we have plans in place for all of it.”
Right now, Gov. Pete Ricketts’ directed health measure allows a maximum of 10,000 spectators at an outdoor event such as Nebraska football. That’s roughly 11.1% of capacity. But Ricketts said in his Wednesday press conference he’s working with the university and the Lancaster County Health Department “to be able to craft a plan.”
“It’s still five weeks away, a little too early to tell,” Ricketts said.
Moos said his events team — led by associate athletic director for event management, Matt Davidson — has worked through every detail of staging a game “for six, seven weeks” from contactless tickets to social distancing within the stadium to fans having to wear masks.
“I’m pretty positive that they would at this point,” Moos said of fans wearing masks. “But, again, we’re six weeks away from the game.”
The logistics of fans arriving to and leaving the stadium may pose a greater challenge than distancing them once they’re in the bleachers. Memorial Stadium features several narrow, winding concourses — with tight entrance tunnels — all over the complex. Even fans who head up to one of NU’s 101 suites generally have to wait in a lobby full of other fans before they cram into elevators so tightly packed with boosters and reporters that a slight, collective chuckle often arises just before the doors close.
“It might be like a wedding or church, where the usher takes you out row by row,” Moos said. “I don’t discount anything in that regard. We need to be careful. It may take longer to enter, and longer
“But our fans are starved for Husker football. They’re the best fans in college football and they will endure those kinds of challenges just to get a chance to watch good football and be back into something that’s somewhat normal.”
Moos didn’t know if or how many fans have opted out of attending games this season. He wasn’t concerned about ticket demand, though, based on the waiting list NU has for season tickets. He presumed fans who had concerns about attending games had a network of family and friends to whom they could give the tickets.
Ricketts said fans should “use their own discretion” about using football tickets this fall, especially fans who might be at greater risk of complications from the coronavirus. Of the 1,644 hospitalizations so far from the coronavirus in the state of Nebraska, 615 have been persons 65 or older.
“Everybody should use their own discretion about using their tickets,” Ricketts said. “For example, if you’re older, with those underlying health care conditions, I would recommend you give your ticket to your nephew, or somebody else, and you not go to the game.”
Although plans can’t be finalized, Moos knows this much: Nebraska already has two fewer home games in 2020 than it expected. That comes with a hefty price tag.
“Thirty million,” Moos said.
