Dave Feit: Going Boldly into the Cashless Age at Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium

With a little time, cashless concessions are likely to be quicker and more convenient. In any case, it shouldn't be a deal breaker for Husker football fans.

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As you might have heard, Nebraska will not accept cash payments for concessions, tickets or merchandise at any of its venues this fall. This includes the Bob Devaney Sports Center (volleyball), Hibner Stadium (soccer), and most notably, Memorial Stadium. Pinnacle Bank Arena (men’s and women’s basketball) previously went cashless.

The move has received a surprising amount of backlash from fans on social media and beyond. A news report by KLKN TV in Lincoln found some fans who were displeased about the change.

I understand – and share – some of those concerns. But only to a limited extent.

For years, I’ve been grabbing a pop at halftime. It has been very convenient to hand cash to the concession worker, get my drink, and be on my way. NU says that improved Wi-Fi in the stadium will make those transactions quicker.

Nov 24, 2023; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; A general view of the game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Iowa Hawkeyes at Memorial Stadium. / Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

When I bring my kids to a game, I like to give them $10 or $15 in cash that they can spend however they want (popcorn, pizza, hotdog, etc.) with the understanding that when they’re out of money, that’s it. Going cashless makes that strategy harder, but not impossible.

Many fans are curious about how this change will affect the hawkers who walk the stadium during the game. My understanding is they’ll have a wireless card reader with them, but I don’t know how the logistics will work if I’m in the middle of the row and want a slice of pizza. Do I pass my card down the aisle? Does the hawker pass the card reader to me? And what if I want to give the hawker a tip?  Stick around … I have an idea for how we can improve this experience.

Cashless concessions may be more convenient for fans (and definitely for the university*), but beloved characters – like the “Hot Dog Man” who would throw hot dogs into the stands and receive payment via cash thrown back inside the foil wrapper – will be harder to come by.

*From NU’s perspective, going cashless is an easy decision.  Fans using a card are likely to spend more – 25% more, per VISA –  than a fan using cash.  Not having to process large amounts of cash reduces operational costs.  Other venues report shorter and quicker-moving lines.  And digital transactions increase the amount of customer data available to help drive future decisions.

But let’s be clear: despite my minor reservations, I don’t have a problem with the Huskers going cashless. And I’m more than willing to give it a fair chance.

Sep 30, 2023; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Herbie Husker during the second quarter between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Michigan Wolverines at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

When I walk into Memorial Stadium, I might not always have paper money on me – especially if the pregame beverages were going down smoothly – but I always have a debit card.  I don’t anticipate this change having a big impact on my stadium-going experience.

And let’s be realistic: Memorial Stadium is not the first sporting venue to go cashless.  Most professional stadiums and arenas are cashless, as are most concert venues. It should not be surprising that colleges are following their lead.

With all due respect to the fan interviewed by KLKN, I’m not interested in her arguments of “When has (cash) never been accepted?” and “I just can’t believe we’re going to this extent in America.”

Ma’am, we don’t need to turn every change into a new Culture Wars battlefield. A change designed in part to benefit fans should not invoke “I’m never going again, and the Sellout Streak will end” temper tantrums, like you can see in the replies to the Huskers announcement.

Think of all of the other supposed deal-breaker changes that have come to Memorial Stadium.  Somehow, we all survived not being able to smoke in the stadium. Or not being able to bring in umbrellas. The clear bag policy may be an inconvenience for some fans, but nobody is staying home because of it. And whenever beer comes to the stadium, I’m guessing folks will adapt to that as well.

I miss having paper ticket stubs of the games I’ve attended, but scanning a digital ticket on my phone is quicker and more convenient. Plus, I don’t have to worry about a paper ticket falling out of my pocket. I view going cashless in a similar fashion.

There may be some hiccups in the early going, but I’m willing to be patient.

Oct 9, 2021; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Fireworks go off during a light show at the end of the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s finish by circling back to the one group who may see the biggest impact:  the stadium hawkers.

Going cashless could open the door for something I’ve been suggesting for a long time:  an in-stadium concession delivery service.

Let’s say I’m sitting in row 71 and I want a hotdog and Diet Mountain Dew. Currently, my options are: walk down to the concourse (missing part of the game) or hope two different hawkers make their way up to me (even though the hawkers don’t often get the high – and never carry Diet Dew in their trays).

But what if I could go onto the Huskers GameDay app*, order what I want, and for a small convenience fee (and optional tip) have a dedicated hawker bring my food to my seat?

*Or Troy Dannen could strike a partnership with GrubHub or DoorDash to become the “official online food ordering company of Nebraska Football” and use their platform. 

Online concessions and digital payments may not be for everybody, but there are days when I’d pay for that convenience.

And the fan experience should be at the heart of everything Nebraska does in its venues.

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