An increasing number of college athletics departments are opening their stadiums to the revenue-generating potential of live concerts, and the University of Nebraska is no different. However, the Huskers may be among the few to face the challenge of staging a postgame concert after a game that doesn't kick off until 6:15 p.m.
Nebraska announced Monday that Cole Swindell, who has had 14 No. 1 singles as a singer and songwriter, will perform following the Sept. 19 Ag Day game against North Dakota.
“There is no better college football gameday atmosphere than Memorial Stadium, and we’re excited to take it to the next level by featuring Cole Swindell in our first-ever postgame concert.” Tyler Kai, a Nebraska deputy athletic director, said in the announcement.
The concert is included with a game ticket, and $75 single-game tickets are still available. The North Dakota game will also be included in Nebraska's three- and four-game packages priced at $185 and $225, respectively.
Field passes for the post-game concert will be sold beginning in July, and only fans who have purchased a ticket to the Nebraska–North Dakota game will be eligible to purchase a concert field pass.
Swindell, a multiplatinum winner of four Country Music Academy Awards, has been dubbed “a proven hit-maker” by Rolling Stone while charting 14 No. 1 singles as both a recording artist and songwriter. He is known for songs such as “She Had Me at Heads Carolina,” “You Should Be Here,” “Middle of a Memory,” “Break Up in the End,” “Chillin’ It” and “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey.”
As reported by Nebraska Public Media, the concert will be the third at Memorial Stadium this year. Zach Bryan played there April 25, and The Boys from Oklahoma tour, featuring Cross Canadian Ragweed and the Turnpike Troubadours, is scheduled for Aug. 22.
The stadium also played host earlier this month the Savannah Bananas baseball team and will host an Upper Deck golf event in October, NPM's Matt Olberding reported.
"This is the latest novelty use of Memorial Stadium for Nebraska Athletics. The athletic department has gotten more creative in offering up the historic venue to help generate more revenue for the school in the era of Name, Image and Likeness payments to college athletes," Olberding reported. "It started with a concert by Garth Brooks in 2021. That was the first concert in 34 years at Memorial Stadium. Then in 2023, it was Volleyball Day in Nebraska. In addition to the scheduled events, people can now rent out Memorial Stadium for weddings."
