Troy Dannen talks Nebraska's new track, better concessions and alcohol in Memorial Stadium (2024)

LINCOLN— Troy Dannen reads the news and sees the seismic tidal wave headed toward college athletics.

Three antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA. A settlement proposal, according to national reports, that would allow power conference schools— such as Nebraska in the Big Ten— to share as much as $20 million in revenue with student-athletes.

Nebraska’s athletic department is one of the few in college sports that has no debt, annually has a budget in the black and doesn’t borrow money from the academic side of the institution. NU even crossed the $200 million threshold in revenue during the last fiscal year.

But a $20 million price tag for student-athlete compensation is a major budget item.

“You hear everybody talking about ‘we have an expense problem, not a revenue problem,’” Dannen said Thursday. “Right now, I have a revenue problem.”

And he’s looking for more revenue streams to tap.

Alcohol sales at NU-owned facilities would be a start, and Dannen expects to present the Board of Regents at some point. Currently, vendors sell beer, wine and spirits at Husker basketball, baseball and softball games because those facilities aren’t university-owned. Dannen said Nebraska baseball’s last 12 home games made $12,000 in sales per game.

“That was something that was dropped spur of the moment, last second— and the folks at Haymarket did an amazing job of getting it up and running and executing that,” Dannen said. “But just think of the magnitude, of a similar impact, inside (Memorial) Stadium.”

Next up?

“The stadium needs to be used more than seven times a year,” Dannen said. Memorial Stadium that is, which hosts a limited number of events outside of Husker football games. The Nebraska State High School Football Championships are played in the stadium and last year NU hosted the Volleyball Day event that drew more than 92,000 fans.

Three years ago, country music star Garth Brooks played a concert inside the stadium.

“It’s hard when six months a year, the weather prohibits the stadium from being used,” Dannen said. “And I was dying when Garth Brooks was here, but repeating Garth Brooks, (or) doing another sporting event, however it is we can do it.”

More notes from Dannen’s chat:

Finishing Nebraska's new track complex

Nebraska intends to finish its new track complex— located across the street from the Devaney Center— as soon as it can, Dannen said.

NU plans to have 2,500 permanent seats with the possibility of more. Construction of the Osborne Legacy Complex forced the track team to relocate after Nebraska chose to erect its new football building on top of Ed Weir Track.

“I consider the track to be part of the completion of the Osborne Legacy Complex,” Dannen said. “When you have to relocate a facility to build another, part of that is completion of the relocation.”

NU hosts the Big Ten outdoor meet in 2026.

“We need to make it meet capable,” Dannen said. “We have the two-time defending Big Ten champion and the ’26 Big Ten Championships are here. So we’ve got to get this finalized and finished.”

Taking bids for concession services

NU will take bids this year for its concession services in Memorial Stadium.

Dannen said surveys indicated fans wanted more and different food options that the current offerings, which focus on Runza sandwiches and Valentino’s Pizza.

Catered buffets for high-paying season ticket holders

One premium amenity Dannen would like to consider adding for higher-paying season ticket holders are catered buffet meals at the club and skybox level.

Media that cover Nebraska football games get such meals— the annual chili and cinnamon roll buffet is most popular— and, in a room just off the north end of Pinnacle Bank Arena, boosters can at times grab such a meal at Husker basketball games.