Nebraska Breaks World Record for Women’s Sporting Event Attendance
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska made history on Wednesday night by surpassing the recognized world-record attendance for a women’s sporting event. The “Volleyball Day in Nebraska” event drew a crowd of 92,003 at Memorial Stadium, the football venue of the University of Nebraska. Here’s everything you need to know about this monumental achievement.
Breaking the Record
Nebraska calculated the crowd size by considering tickets sold for the event and conducting a head count of all team and event personnel, including the marching band, media members, and others. The previous attendance record of 91,648 was set on April 20, 2022, during a UEFA Champions League semifinal match at Camp Nou in Spain. The previous U.S. record was established on July 10, 1999, during the Women’s World Cup final at the Rose Bowl.
The Matches
Nebraska, ranked No. 4 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, faced off against in-state rival Omaha in the second match of the evening. The Huskers dominated the game, winning in a sweep with scores of 25-14, 25-14, and 25-13. The event kicked off with a Division II match between Wayne State and Nebraska-Kearney.
The Backstory
The idea to play volleyball at Memorial Stadium was conceived last year by Nebraska coach John Cook and athletic director Trev Alberts. They came up with the plan after Wisconsin set a regular-season attendance record for a volleyball match. The Badgers drew 16,833 fans at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin, last September, surpassing Nebraska’s previous record. With this latest achievement, Nebraska has now played in front of nine of the 10 largest crowds for a collegiate volleyball match.
Nebraska’s Legacy of Fan Support
Coach Cook’s program has set the standard for fan support, selling out an NCAA-record 307 consecutive matches. Nebraska has been ranked nationally in every AVCA poll since its inception in 1982. Three of its alumni, including new assistant coach Jordan Larson, played on the gold-medal-winning U.S. squad at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.
The Night
The atmosphere at Memorial Stadium was electric, with an immersive volleyball experience and several produced videos displayed on the 4,000-square-foot HuskerVision screen. Former Nebraska volleyball players lined the entrance of the playing field as Coach Cook and the Huskers entered to their own version of the famed football Tunnel Walk. The weather was perfect, with a temperature of 80 degrees, light wind, and clear skies. Rain or adverse conditions would have forced the event to be moved to the Bob Devaney Sports Center, Nebraska’s volleyball arena with a seating capacity of 7,907.
The Significance
“Volleyball Day in Nebraska” is another milestone for women’s sports, as attendance and TV viewership for women’s volleyball continue to rise. Multiple professional leagues are being established in the United States, and the NCAA women’s basketball tournament has seen record-breaking viewership and attendance numbers. Increased competition on the playing field has attracted new interest in women’s sports. In volleyball, different teams have emerged as champions in recent years, breaking the dominance of West Coast teams.
Inspiring Other Schools
The success of this event is expected to inspire more schools to reimagine what is possible for women’s sports. Iowa has already scheduled an exhibition women’s basketball game against DePaul at Kinnick Stadium for October, and nearly 40,000 tickets have been sold. The momentum generated by events like these will continue to propel women’s sports forward.
What They’re Saying
NCAA president Charlie Baker believes that Nebraska’s success and fan support make them a national title contender. He also expressed his optimism for the future of women’s volleyball, saying, “I think women’s volleyball has nothing but runway ahead of it.” Coach Cook emphasized the significance of women’s sports at Nebraska and how the players got to experience the same level of support as their male counterparts. Nebraska freshman middle blocker Andi Jackson described the experience as “incredible” and expressed her gratitude for being part of a world record.
The record-breaking attendance at the “Volleyball Day in Nebraska” event is a testament to the growing popularity and support for women’s sports. It serves as a milestone in the journey towards gender equality in athletics and inspires other schools to push boundaries and create memorable experiences for their athletes and fans. With the continued momentum, women’s sports are set to reach new heights in the coming years.
(Photo: Dylan Widger / USA Today)