Husker fans report concession delays due to tech failure at Memorial Stadium

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Husker fans are celebrating the team’s win in the second home game of the season on Saturday, but some described disappointment with problems at the concessions stands.

Liz Scharton, a sophomore at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and season ticket holder, said the problem began around the second quarter of the game.

She said the concession stands on the south end of the stadium experienced a technical error and could not process transactions.

The problems were obvious when TV screens began to shut down and patrons were getting turned away from the concessions area.

“It’s kind of a visual cue when people start backing out of the line,” Scharton said.

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She said some fans were “definitely irritated” after being told the system was down.

“Some of them had kids with them,” Scharton said. “They were hungry. It was lunchtime; it was an 11:30 a.m. game.”

A spokesman with Nebraska Athletics said the tech failure was “stadium/power related” and was not the fault of the concessions vendor, Aramark.

The spokesman noted the interruption was “very brief.”

On Tuesday, Aramark sent Channel 8 this statement:

“Delivering a great fan experience is always our top priority. On Saturday, an isolated power outage impacted a small number of point-of-sale systems at the venue. Our team immediately worked to restore service as quickly as possible. To ensure fans always have access to food and beverage options, we offer a variety of service styles – including our express Walk-Thru Brus – designed to provide multiple choices, reduce wait times, and keep lines moving efficiently. We appreciate our fans’ understanding and remain committed to delivering a seamless and enjoyable experience every game day.”

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Scharton said managers could be seen directing the people toward other areas in the stadium, but ultimately that created a blockage.

“They had to push everyone towards the strict southside concessions, which blocked it completely,” she said.

But on the bright side, the walk-thru alcohol stations were convenient, she said.

Scharton said the self-service feature wasn’t used much at first but ended up helping many of the people waiting.

“I think people were somewhat aware of using them, but they didn’t trust it as much because it’s new technology,” she said. “But once the system started going down, they realized this is one of the forms of payment I could use, so I might as well use it.”

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