In radio interview, NU AD Moos expresses confidence in sellout streak, full Memorial Stadium

Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos on Tuesday evening reiterated his expectation that Memorial Stadium will be cleared for full capacity at home football games this fall and said he’s confident the 50-plus year sellout streak will continue. 

Moos, during his monthly appearance on the “Sports Nightly” radio program, said season-ticket renewals, which were distributed a couple of weeks ago, are currently around 90%. 

That number is slightly below past years before the pandemic, but clearly still very strong. 

“We’re tracking right now and we’re having very, very good numbers in regards to season-ticket renewals,” Moos said. 

Nebraska may end up taking some people from a waiting list who become eligible for season tickets that others have decided not to renew, but those are expected to be sold quickly. 

“We’re fast approaching that,” Moos said. “We’re up into the 90% renewal (rate), so those who want to get on that list should be doing it right away because, like I said, we have every intention of selling Memorial Stadium out again and to keep that sellout streak active. 

“Our fans need to be on top of this. Get those renewals done and those who may not have been fortunate enough to have a chance to enjoy Husker football because of the inability to get a season ticket need to get on that list right away.” 

Fans who had season tickets in 2019 had the opportunity to roll their payments forward last year when the Big Ten mandated that only family and friends be allowed into stadiums because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The full capacity this fall does not come as a surprise now, given Lancaster County’s move back to “green” on the COVID-19 risk dial, the end of the local mask mandate and also the fact that Garth Brooks sold 83,600 tickets for an Aug. 14 concert at Memorial Stadium. 

“Now it looks like we’re going to be able to have 100% capacity this fall and I have every reason to believe the sellout streak will continue,” Moos said.

One thing that is not going to happen any time soon, according to Moos, is introducing alcohol sales at Memorial Stadium. It’s unclear exactly what will happen for the Brooks concert, but Moos said it “isn’t on the table right now” as it pertains to home football games. 

“As you’re becoming aware, that’s becoming the trend more and more,” Moos added. “Literally every major college football game in the country is on live television. We’ve got to continue to explore ways to entertain our fans and make them want to be here. Of course, the scoreboard is a big part of that, and by that I mean success on the field. But we also need to continue, and we are, exploring what we’re doing beforehand, halftime and afterwards and, as you’re referring to, during the game itself. 

“I don’t rule it out, but it’s not front and center as we speak right now.” 

Ireland a competitive advantage? In addition to being a unique experience for Nebraska football coaches and players and Husker fans, Moos said he thinks playing Northwestern in Dublin can also lead to a competitive advantage for Scott Frost’s program. 

“It’s a great opportunity for our student-athletes and for our fans, but as it plays out, we have not had good success in Evanston since Scott has been here. We’ve lost twice up there,” Moos said. “Now we take that Northwestern home game and we make that a Nebraska home game because I just know we will outnumber their fans over there and that stadium will be red, and that plays in our favor.” 

Moos also pointed out that the bye in the week originally slated for Northwestern (Oct. 8) means the Huskers will have off weeks before road trips to Michigan (Oct. 15) and also Wisconsin (Nov. 5). 

“Two tough road games, late in the season when you’re chipped up and tired and really drawing on the depth of your roster, it really gives us a good chance to catch our breath and hopefully we’ll be in the running for that Big Ten West title and this really plays in well in that regard, too. 

“Everything lays out really nicely.”