Husker Nation is rolling out the red carpet for ESPN College GameDay.
An NCAA football tradition, GameDay will broadcast live Sept. 28 from the mall on the east side of Nebraska’s iconic Memorial Stadium.
Along with drawing nearly 2 million additional viewers to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the ESPN visit will bring temporary changes to campus life. Set up for the show will begin Sept. 25 and reduce parking on the Vine Street (north) side of the Memorial Stadium loop.
All parking on the north half of the loop — which includes 88 Area A and 12 metered spaces — will be unavailable through Sept. 29. The closure begins at 10 p.m. Sept. 24.
To accommodate the faculty and staff impacted, the 14th and Avery parking garage will be open Sept. 25-27 for Area A permit holders. Parking will also be available in the Area A lot near the Champions Club west of Memorial Stadium.
The Memorial Stadium mall — framed by the Coliseum, Morrill Hall, Archie the Mammoth, Bessey Hall, Military and Naval Science, Mueller Tower, Husker Hall of Fame Plaza, and East Stadium — will serve as the backdrop for the College GameDay broadcast.
The show, which weekly draws thousands to attend a festive tailgate party atmosphere, broadcasts for three hours leading up to a full day of college football. It airs on ESPN from 8 to 11 a.m. The Huskers will be featured in a 6:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC against the No. 5 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.
For the stop in Lincoln, live segments on ESPN platforms begin at 6 a.m. Fans who wish to attend the broadcast can watch from the College GameDay “pit” area, which opens at 5:30 a.m., or the surrounding mall.
Individuals who enter the pit will be screened and must adhere to all ESPN rules. No food or drink is allowed, and screening will include bag checks and inspection of all signs. Signs that include vulgar language, political or religious statements, and promotions for outside brands or websites are not permitted.
This is the first time since 2007 that ESPN’s College GameDay has visited campus and, this is the sixth time Nebraska has hosted the broadcast. The Huskers are 5-1 when hosting GameDay.
A study of the GameDay stop at Washington State University in 2018 valued the visit at $1.5 million in free advertising for the school. It also reported about 1.1 billion social media impressions around the ESPN broadcast.
Additional details about the broadcast and how it will impact fans the day of the game are available at Huskers.com.
by Troy Fedderson | University Communication