Nebraska Athletics is forcing a two-step seat shuffle at Memorial Stadium, and season ticketholders will have to make new choices for both the 2027 and 2028 football seasons.
The changes are tied to the Big Red Rebuild, the $600 million renovation of the stadium that is set to open ahead of the 2028 season. As that project rolls forward, the athletic department says the current setup won’t stay intact, and fans will be asked to reset their seats more than once before the overhaul is finished.
For the 2027 season, capacity in the stadium will be roughly 54,000, with season tickets going on sale in February. Then, in 2028, capacity is expected to rise to 60,000 by the end of the ambitious renovation project.
The first wave of reseating will hit when the north side of the stadium is completed. In that version of Memorial Stadium, the 5,000-seat student section and the Cornhusker Marching Band will be located in the lower half of the new South Stadium. Above that area, in the upper half of South Stadium, will be general seating.
West Stadium will also look different. New suites, luxury loge boxes and club seats will be available as premium options for fans, and those seats will have access to exclusive lounges inside the stadium.
The project also includes three sizes of suites - a 12-seat theater box, 16-seat and 26-seat options - beginning in 2025. The loge boxes and club seats will be available in 2026. The number of chairback seats will increase from fewer than 6,000 to 20,000 when the project is completed.
Nebraska Athletics expects ticket sales revenue to be driven largely by the end of no-donation or reduced-price season tickets, starting in 2025. Those funds will help pay for the Big Red Rebuild and support the athletic department’s operations.
There’s also a separate change coming to Memorial Stadium’s lower level. The Honeycomb - the 5,000-seat Husker student section - and the Cornhusker Marching Band will be relocated in the lower half of the new South Stadium.
Above them, the upper half of South Stadium will hold general seating. In West Stadium, the new premium seating areas will include exclusive lounges.
The athletic department says approximately 30% of season tickets in Memorial Stadium will be available to the general public without a donation. Those tickets, which are expected to cost $1,000, will be located in North Stadium.
Nebraska Athletics says the ticket sale revenue, driven largely by ending the practice of no-donation or reduced-price season tickets, will increase by nearly 20% beginning in 2025. Those funds will be used to pay for the Big Red Rebuild and support the department’s operations.
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