College football is the most popular sport in America, and watching a game at the end of the week is a way many wind down, get together with friends and eat delicious food. Still, there’s an ongoing dilemma that not only occurs at UNK, but also at other schools – which team to go support.
As the big red state, Nebraska has a lot of Husker fans. Everyone is known to go all out by dressing up like corn or putting on fun face paint to show their Husker pride. With the volleyball team ranked first, and the football games being known for their fun atmosphere, it makes sense for people to want to attend Nebraska’s home games.
Although D1 college games are fun, there isn’t much support coming from the students at UNK. Rather than supporting their own school, most students leave for Lincoln on the weekends.
Not only does the football team lack motivation due to having a small turnout in the stands, but the cheerleaders, dancers and band prepare for a big performance only to be faced with a dull crowd. We don’t want sports participation to start declining, so we need to start giving more grace to the athletes. It takes a lot of dedication to balance morning practices, school and other commitments.
Athletes represent our school well, and the non-athletes need to do their part to support them. Having no support during weekend games gives the impression that UNK students have no school spirit. We need to find a way to change that.
Attending a home football game is more logical compared to traveling all the way to Lincoln. Although Husker tickets can be a fair price, it’s still more than paying nothing for a UNK game. It takes almost two hours to travel all the way to Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, and gas is expensive.
I drive a 2019 Volkswagen Beetle, and my car holds about 14 gallons of fuel. If I were to drive to Lincoln, I would lose half a tank just to get there. It doesn’t seem worth it to me, especially when I have the option to walk a short distance to Cope Stadium for free.
At UNK games, students get in free with their IDs and get to support their school. There are opportunities at games to become more acquainted with other UNK students. Forming relationships is what makes college more memorable.
Not only does showing up support the players and performers, but it also shows pride. Showing Loper spirit to the community and surrounding areas will give a good impression of our school.
The biggest difference between the games is the atmosphere, but that can be changed by student attendance. Growing up as a Husker fan myself, I can agree that the football and volleyball arenas in Lincoln are unmatched. The games are super fun to attend, but I think there should be more support at our own games too.
