Several sources have raised doubt over whether the Huskers sellout streak will continue this year.
I’m not sure who cares about it anymore, perhaps the UNL administration still does, but are there enough deep pockets left to buy the surplus tickets? Are NIL combine activities causing the market for funding this to be tapped out?
Mike Nolan
Mediocre play is the reason it may not continue. Until recently, the expectation was that the Huskers could (not necessarily would) win them all. The team usually scheduled 1 puff team, 1 middle team, and 1 tough opponent for the non conference games. The team had all Americans and NFL draftees.
We still try to make a home game each year, but this year our schedule is full. We are going to the game at Illinois, though.
That said, I hope the streak continues. If this year’s team shows some promise and improvement early, it might.
Tommy Thompson
Just call me “Pa”
Go Big Red
Go Cardinals
I think a lot depends on how we start. There’s a solid opportunity to go 5-0 from the start. If we can do that, and haven’t lost the streak, I suspect it lasts another year.
I think it is pretty obvious the money available has been chipped away at by NIL.
The sellout streak has been a manufactured streak for a long time. As a result it hasn’t been a real streak. It was bound to end at some point espesially since the team hasn’t been very good.
Now the money that kept the sell out streak alive now goes to the players and whoever else.
John Papenhagen
I’m not so sure the streak makes it to the conference season, there are 3 blah non-conference games on the schedule this year to get past.
UNL was offering UNL students tickets for something like $25 this week, for what it’s worth.
I finally gave up my season tickets after 20+ years. There were a lot of reasons, but it mainly came down to the fact that I couldn’t attend all the games. I used to sell them to a friend/family member, but I couldn’t even give them away for free at the end of last year. If I sold them on seatgeek - I’d be lucky to get $10-$15.
I just no longer see the value proposition in being a STH. I will still go to games this year, but there’s more freedom in being able to buy seats in the section I want and skip the games I have no interest in (11AM against a MAC team? No thanks!)
I sure won’t miss the “donation” either.
… I want and skip the games I have no interest in (11AM against a MAC team? No thanks!) ….
Yeah I suspect the opening game against Ohio is the most likely to break the streak. The next two (against Bowling Green and North Dakota) are Saturday evening and (I think) have a better chance at a sellout.
Andy
LJS story says Huskers have 1400 tickets left for the Ohio game and 2300 for Bowling Green, pretty much in line with recent year trends.
NU also has the option to offload the remaining unsold tickets to a broker (at a hefty discount), not sure if that counts as ‘sold’ or not.
AD Troy Dannen doesn’t think the streak will end this year.
From an accounting perspective, it counts. Every ticket has a sale code attached to it. But at this point I think we’re in the realm of playing hyper-legalistic semantic games. When I look at the upper decks and see thousands of empty seats…yeah. Let’s stop pretending this is 1995 when you could hold two tickets up on O Street and they’d be sold in 2 minutes, no questions asked.
I would like to believe that at some point the Huskers will play well enough that even the games against meh (or worse) opponents will be worth going to again.
But for now I’m reminded of the old joke. First prize is two tickets to the Bowling Green game. Second prize is four tickets to the Bowling Green game.
I think if Rhule doesn’t win 7 and look respectable in most of the losses, he’s on the hot seat for sure in 2027, if not gone in December. Do I think this would make life easier for the coach that follows? No, but nobody expected Indiana to do what they’ve done and every would-be contender (prospective coach and AD doing the hiring) thinks they’ll see lightning strike again.
I think you’re generous with 7 wins. I’m thinking 8 wins is required this year.
8 wins sounds really difficult, which of these teams could they beat: Indiana, Oregon, Illinois, Ohio State, Iowa?
And that doesn’t include opponents who could be trouble: Michigan State and Washington, or allow for a slipup against the rest: Ohio, Bowling Green, North Dakota, Maryland, and Rutgers.
If we lose to any of Bowling Green, North Dakota or Ohio - Rhule shouldn’t even be coaching by October. That would be on par with Scott Frost losing to Georgia Southern.
The coaching staff has to start producing. I don’t think 8 wins, including either Iowa or Illinois is unreasonable expectations. I really don’t want to see another coaching change but we’re throwing a lot of money to the HC and many assistants, as well as players, they need to produce.
Considering that the Husker play 3 of the top 6 preseason ranked teams plus #22 Iowa (Illinois is not ranked yet but may well be ranked by the time we play them), 8 wins will be a challenge. No slip ups allowed!
Indiana is something of a wild card team, is Cignetti really good enough to produce a top 10 team again this year? Personally, I’m skeptical.
Iowa is the one ranked team I’d REALLY like to see them beat (not that beating Illinois wouldn’t warm my heart), they’ve been a thorn in our sides for too long. But the season finale against Iowa may come down to which team has suffered the fewest injuries.
This is year 4 for Rhule and company, and probably a make-or-break season for him/them. If Rhule doesn’t have the right coaches in place this year, I don’t know that he’ll get another chance to shuffle the coaching roster.
But the big NIL paydays for players (I’ve seen estimates of this being a $24 million roster) has changed the economics of college football, $50 million buyouts might be less common.
Was Troy Dannen sucker-punched into giving Rhule a big extension? I’m not sure he was ever in the top 3 on Penn State’s list of candidates.
Mike Nolan
I’m probably over optimistic, but I think the Huskers win their first five, and then beat Illinois, Rutgers, and Iowa. For icing, they win their bowl game.
I think that is doable, and I also think if that if they don’t get 8 wins, there will be a shakeup.
To be fair, though, the Huskers have an estimated $24 million in NIL money. Oregon and Ohio State are around $40 million.
The Huskers are around 9th in the B1G and 29th in the country in NIL.
Time for Larry the Cable Guy, Gabrielle Union, and Warren Buffett to step up! (Joking)
Tommy Thompson
Just call me “Pa”
Go Big Red
Go Cardinals
So you’re saying they’ll lose to Washington?
I think Warren Buffett has made it pretty clear that he has no plans to make big donations to Husker sports. He likes to see a positive return on his money.
Mike Nolan
I’m thinking we beat Washington and either Iowa or Illinois. More likely we beat Illinois
I think they probably lose to Washington and beat Illinois. I say that, because m going to the Illinois game!
I was joking about donors. No reason fans should expect anyone to donate to NIL.
Personally, I think all NIL money should go in a central pot. Teams all get to pull the same amount from that pot. How they distribute to players is up to them. Could spend it all on one player or spread it out.
I’m guessing that pool of money would drop very quickly.
Tommy Thompson
Just call me “Pa”
Go Big Red
Go Cardinals
I doubt it would pass legal muster, and as the SEC has learned, it only takes one (Louisiana) judge to derail a unanimous vote by the conference.
And as few who are/were in the know are willing to admit, money has been flowing to athletes for a long time, just not as legally. Over10 years ago a sportswriter noted that there aren’t very many Yugos in the players’ parking lot on major college campuses.