BREAKING: Nebraska unveils future upgrade plans for Memorial Stadium after 2026 season
BREAKING: Nebraska unveils plans for significant Memorial Stadium upgrades following the 2026 football season.
OT: Nebraska unveils future upgrade plans for Memorial Stadium after 2026 season
- Thread starter Tango Two
- Start date
$600 million, $350 million funded by bonds (taxpayers) and $250 million funded by private donations.
One might ask how the state U in a state with only 2 million people could attract $250 million in private donations. Seems optimistic at first glance. However, Nebraska ranks at or near the top of the B1G in donations to athletics, averaging over $60 million in donations annually over the past 3 years. To put that in perspective, Rutgers gets around $8 million per year in a state with nearly 10 million people.
I haven't spent much time in Nebraska but have spent parts of many summers in South Dakota and confirm that region of the country lacks entertainment options.
The University of Nebraska has a monopoly on fans’ attention. The nearest major leagues sports teams are in Kansas City, 200 miles away. The nearest major league sports city is Minneapolis, more than 400 miles away.
One interesting tidbit in the doc Nebraska's board of regents received ahead of their vote on the stadium renovation - A Big Ten team is planning a $1.5 billion stadium project. Could it be Rutgers?
One might ask how the state U in a state with only 2 million people could attract $250 million in private donations. Seems optimistic at first glance. However, Nebraska ranks at or near the top of the B1G in donations to athletics, averaging over $60 million in donations annually over the past 3 years. To put that in perspective, Rutgers gets around $8 million per year in a state with nearly 10 million people.
I haven't spent much time in Nebraska but have spent parts of many summers in South Dakota and confirm that region of the country lacks entertainment options.
The University of Nebraska has a monopoly on fans’ attention. The nearest major leagues sports teams are in Kansas City, 200 miles away. The nearest major league sports city is Minneapolis, more than 400 miles away.
One interesting tidbit in the doc Nebraska's board of regents received ahead of their vote on the stadium renovation - A Big Ten team is planning a $1.5 billion stadium project. Could it be Rutgers?
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My brother is a pastor in Lincoln. Nebraska Football is the only game in town. People fly in from all over the state for the games, the town is absolutely packed for the full weekend of a game. The amount of money spent makes it a significant revenue generator for the town. A few years back when Nebraska Football was in the dumps, it had a huge effect on the local economy. These people have serious money, and don't even blink when asked to write a check.
The "we have professional teams to compete with" is such a false and lazy narrative.
Guess what percentage of MIDDLESEX COUNTY it would take to sell out both SHI and Jersey Mike's with season ticket holders?
5.5%
Just 5.5% of ONLY Middlesex County would be 48,000 people (42,000 SHI and 6,000 JMA).
Rutgers Atheltics is the only reason for poor fan support.
Not the Giants or Jets or Islanders.
Guess what percentage of MIDDLESEX COUNTY it would take to sell out both SHI and Jersey Mike's with season ticket holders?
5.5%
Just 5.5% of ONLY Middlesex County would be 48,000 people (42,000 SHI and 6,000 JMA).
Rutgers Atheltics is the only reason for poor fan support.
Not the Giants or Jets or Islanders.
Wrong
It’s the share of the Sports entertainment dollar in our market. Sports fans will only invest their $$$ in their local market where they see a return. Rutgers Football is not competitive right now vs.the investment needed ( tickets, parking, Conce$$ions.)
Nebraska is adding 20k chairbacks, which we should also do to improve the fan experience.
I doubt Rutgers is spending $1.5B on anything, but if that was Rutgers then it includes a new indoor football practice facility and LAX stadium. Maybe that was the proposed cost for UCLA to build a stadium on campus over Drake Stadium and the intramural fields or near campus?
Not wrong.
If Rutgers was competitive they would get "sports entertainment dollar".
The argument "but all the pro teams" implies that regardless of success, Rutgers wouldn't get interest.
That's not true.
We need such a small fraction of interest considering how populated the area is.
For example, the COUNTY that Rutgers is in has nearly 1/2 the population of the entire state of Nebraska.
There are plenty of people and dollars to go around.
Rutgers just hasn't earned them yet.
Because the Jets have earned those dollars
. We're in a pro market where many more people prioritize pro sports over college, and also have a double standard when it comes to Rutgers. I agree that when we're winning we get the fairweather fans to come.I get what you are saying but it is not a requirement to be a resident of the state to donate.
Add to that South Jersey could give a rats *** about Rutgers. AND this...NJ Ranks first in Net Loss...
- Approx. 31,000–33,000+ Students: Approximately 31,294 first-time undergraduates left the state in 2022, with similar numbers reported in previous years.
- Highest Net Migration Loss: In addition to the high number of departures, few out-of-state students fill these seats, with only about 4,000–5,000 incoming students, creating a net loss of over 25,000 students annually.
OF course we should do better but there are just so many head winds this place faces...add cost of living, diversity, the negative impact from the "media love" we get, the HORRIBLE job done by past leadership developing relationships and harvesting funds as noted by me and others, etc.
My guess would be Oregon.
- Team has made Bowl Championship Series or College Football Playoff in 6 of past 8 years
- Stadium is tiny compared to peers with similar results - 54,000 versus 100,000+ at Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State. Demand is so strong for Oregon football tickets that thousands of standing room only tickets are sold for $100+
- Oregon football ticket sales are 2-3x Rutgers despite similar size stadium; Oregon needs a bigger stadium
- Oregon donors step up for big facilities projects. Oregon raised $298 million in fiscal 2020, the year of a big renovation to the track & facility was built.
- Whale donor Phil Knight is 88. He drives fundraising at Oregon and the window of opportunity to fund a new football stadium won't be open forever
+1
Eventually every section should have them except the Student one.
1. Sidelines
2. Upstairs
3. North endzone
Phase it in.
New Jersey sends a lot of students to out-of-state colleges for happy reasons. The state's high schools produce a lot of high potential college students and New Jersey is a rich state (#1 in millionaire households) so more families can afford higher out-of-state tuitions.
Rich New Jerseyans buy NFL teams. Wilf family - Vikings, Johnson family - Jets, David Tepper - Panthers.
New Jersey, like New York and the six New England states, is just a hard place for college sports to get fans interested. The only exceptions are UConn basketball and college hockey in Boston. I don't see this changing any time soon.
it's one in the same unless you or he can acutely show a difference. Athletics does not operate in a vacuum.
Exactly this.Because the Jets have earned those dollars
NickRU does not understand that people have “ a choice “ on where to spend their Entertainment/Sports money. It’s not an unlimited demand for the fan’s money. The perceived value / enjoyment drives the investment potential. Rutgers is on the low end of the return right now.
Yep. Pissing off and pissing on potential and existing donors. Will never give a single penny again.
prior to the new Pres/AD - The University did nothing to really engage Alumni and ex athletes. We are playing catch-up. I think we may see a turn but we have a couple of generations of people that may never support their schools the way other schools get support.
Will not reveal the details on a public forum. It's sickening. We had plans for a lot more giving. Never again.
That's awful. If it was the old administration, I bet Tate and Zinn would fix things pretty quickly. If it was them, then
.
sit down, you have no idea what happened or the bad taste left in the mouth. @Knight Shift is not alone content to play spectator.
Let me know when you plan to give more than a minimal donation and until then, don't jump in other people's wallets.
respectfully
LOL. As if. A famous NJ son once said: "Blind faith in your leaders or in anything will get you killed."
Another chance? Ha! When Keli is gone, what happens?
Maybe not that severe for making donations, but the history of Rutgers (see the Yurcak field thread- also mentioning Louis Brown, who made a significant large donation in his will, only to have his name erased from the Athletic Center years later).
In the words of another band:
Nebraska doesn't have the Jets, Giants, Nets, Knicks, Islanders, Devils, Rangers, Yankees and Mets and all the Philly teams to compete with for peoples money. For college basketball, other than Creighton who do Nebraskans have to pay any attention to.
I need to see massive cultural change at Rutgers akin to what you see at other BIG schools and that includes massive state support. Until then, it's just paddling upstream and getting tired as the rain waters get stronger.LOL. As if. A famous NJ son once said: "Blind faith in your leaders or in anything will get you killed."
Another chance? Ha! When Keli is gone, what happens?
Maybe not that severe for making donations, but the history of Rutgers (see the Yurcak field thread- also mentioning Louis Brown, who made a significant large donation in his will, only to have his name erased from the Athletic Center years later).
In the words of another band:
Bingo
They are not competing with 19 professional teams for the share of the Sports entertainment dollars.
and which of these states with no pro competition have anywhere near the 20 mil or so people in the immediate area which would include NYC and NJ?
Pick up my guitar and play. Just like yesterday. And I get on my knees and pray.LOL. As if. A famous NJ son once said: "Blind faith in your leaders or in anything will get you killed."
Another chance? Ha! When Keli is gone, what happens?
Maybe not that severe for making donations, but the history of Rutgers (see the Yurcak field thread- also mentioning Louis Brown, who made a significant large donation in his will, only to have his name erased from the Athletic Center years later).
In the words of another band:
Bingo.
As I pointed out above, Middlesex County alone has nearly half the population of Nebraska.
Funny how UConn Basketball seems immune. Wonder why?
Suppose all 19 teams disappeared tomorrow, would Rutgers get all these millions in donations?
Note - none of those 19 teams are currently getting millions in donations.
The irony is everyone arguing “but the 19 teams” is making my point.
They keep saying “Rutgers isn’t worth it”.
Exactly. It has nothing to do with the other 19 teams.
If they were gone, we would still wouldn’t be worth it because of historical losing.
$1.5 Billion in New Jersey. They are putting in a water fountain on the west upper deck.
Nebraska also doesn't have a long history of not winning anything. The Islanders, Giants, Rangers, Mets, and Phillies have all won championships. Even the Jets won a Super Bowl.
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