Nebraska may cancel Spring game

[Great Plains Gopher]

Despite drawing 75 to 90k fans who pay for tickets, Nebraska may cancel their popular spring game because of portal poaching by other coaches watching the game on TV!

 

[Word]

Drew 60,000 last year. Here's an article with more info.

Nebraska's spring game likely canceled as transfer portal has made it detrimental, Rhule says

The Nebraska spring game likely won’t be held going forward because of coach Matt Rhule’s concern about other teams poaching his players.

apnews.com

 

[Mustang68]

Just have everyone wear the same jersey number - total portal poaching confusion.

 

[60's Guy]

Seems like short sighted paranoia to me. Shit on your loyal fans and announce to the world you don't trust your players or your own relationships with them...so we will lock em up behind closed doors.
Brilliant! Nobody knows who is on your roster? That will keep people from offering incentives for players to leave? Beginning of the end for Coach Rhule.

 

[GopherEnEspaña]

I'm a diehard CFB fan in every aspect, but Spring Games are something I just don't care about, never have. Before social media and 24/7 access to teams, it was a chance to see how your new roster looks, but these days I just don't care until mid-way through fall camp when we actually have an idea of lineups and depth charts.

 

[fmlizard]

Just have everyone wear the same jersey number - total portal poaching confusion.

They are talking to the same cryptographers who invented the sideline boards with Spongebob, a footlong turkey sandwich, Warren Buffett, and Klay Thompson on them.

The same ones who made up any video game roster without an official license.

Dylan Raiola will be #51 Hammock Pirates (an anagram for you-know-who)

 

[Stuff]

Did PJ cancel this year's spring game or was it nonexistent to begin with?

 

[GopherGrit]

Imagine if this was how it was in the NFL. Cancelling preseason games for fear that players would transfer to another team.

Just absurd.


We need player contracts. Yesterday. 2-3 year deals. Obviously no one can force you to stay on the team or even at the school, but if you aren't released from your deal (which should be an option) then you can't even train, lift, participate with another team for that length of time.

 

[GoDucks349]

If a guy is going to transfer do you want him on your squad? Get the right guys, do right by them and they will stay. At least one would hope so.

 

[gophernut1]

It won't be long before players have contracts and college football is a semi-pro league that pays money to the University for NIL and stadium use.

 

[Married@SiebertField]

Canceling their entire 2025 season may make sense for this reason.

 

[Kitzmann57]

Did PJ cancel this year's spring game or was it nonexistent to begin with?

Gophers haven't had an open Spring game at the stadium for fans, in 4 years.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Sad reality of this current messed up landscape that teams even have to factor something like this in. Seems like you could work something out to still hold the spring game for the fans but not let it be televised if that is important to your program from a fan relations standpoint.

 

[GopherTheJugular]

I'm a diehard CFB fan in every aspect, but Spring Games are something I just don't care about, never have. Before social media and 24/7 access to teams, it was a chance to see how your new roster looks, but these days I just don't care until mid-way through fall camp when we actually have an idea of lineups and depth charts.

I'm kinda going this route too. I mean, there's a chance some of the guys who standout will transfer and so why get excited?

 

[MNVCGUY]

I'm a diehard CFB fan in every aspect, but Spring Games are something I just don't care about, never have. Before social media and 24/7 access to teams, it was a chance to see how your new roster looks, but these days I just don't care until mid-way through fall camp when we actually have an idea of lineups and depth charts.

Spring "games" have always just been glorified scrimmages anyway. They get a lot of attention at places like Nebraska where you have a really dedicated fanbase with nothing else to do with their time but overall they really aren't that big of a deal and quite a few places are moving away from the concept.

That said they can be a fun fan event during the long period from the end of the season to the start of the next one as long as you are somewhere that weather isn't an issue.

 

[FredCoxRocks]

I just assume Gopher spring games will be indoors and/or closed to the general public going forward, which is fine with me. PJ has been criticized for moving them indoors due to weather, but I think it was always the right call, and now I don’t have to keep logging into GopherHole to see if the game is on or off for us hoi polloi.

 

[howeda7]

Something REALLY Special is Brewing in Lincoln this time...

 

[highwayman]

Though fun to attend, I don't see any benefit to having a spring game. Yes, it gives me a football-jones fix. Other than that, what is gained? I'm all for never having one again.

 

[denguegopher]

Though fun to attend, I don't see any benefit to having a spring game. Yes, it gives me a football-jones fix. Other than that, what is gained? I'm all for never having one again.

Pretty much agree. One of the possibilities is injury of an important player. The Pro Bowl isn't played anymore, maybe college can do skill drills like the pros.