‘Bump and a boost’: New legislative bill could open the door to more seats at Pinnacle Bank Arena

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Pinnacle Bank Area could look a little different in the future, thanks to a new bill in the Nebraska Legislature.

LB1192 would remove the seating-capacity cap within the arena, allowing more seats to be constructed. PBA’s capacity is currently 16,000.

General Manager Tim Savona said this is a way to prepare for the future.

“There’s only so much you can do in a finite moment, so when it comes to the fans today, whether it be a basketball game or certain types of concerts, there are potential opportunities in our north end zone where we might be able to get a little bit of a bump and a boost,” he said.

For Husker fans, this would provide a way to showcase the “Go Big Red” loyalty on another level.

“I believe having more people means a better crowd, better atmosphere, in general just a better stadium,” said Jacob, a freshman at UNL. “It’s going to make our players want to play better, play harder, win more. Make sure they please the crowd before leaving that arena.”

Savona said the men’s basketball team’s strong play adds to the excitement of expanding PBA, but it’s something they’ve been considering for a while.

And with more room comes the possibility of more sporting events inside the arena.

“Having more capacity limits will now allow us to host big events and give students like me the opportunity to catch them, especially when our team is doing really well right now,” Jacob said.

If the bill is passed, changes would not happen immediately, but it would open several doors.

“We don’t know what could be opened up for next year’s tournaments, whether we could get a regional versus a first and second round, or a Final Four, across multiple sports,” said Savona. “Would it help? Yes.”