A 50-plus year tradition at Nebraska home football games could be coming to a close – releasing red balloons after the Huskers score their first touchdown at Memorial Stadium..
The practice has drawn increasing criticism in recent years over the danger posed to birds and other animals who eat the balloons after they come back to earth.
The UNL student government last week passed a resolution encouraging a stop to the balloon. The students passed a nearly identical resolution last spring, but leaders say news of it “got lost in the action of COVID 19.
They point out that many states and cities have ended balloon launches and that the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service also urges that the practice cease. They also say UNL is the only university in the country that still does mass balloon releases. UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green or Athletic Director Trev Alberts would need to make the decision to officially end the tradition, but the athletic department has no comment at this time.