Matches at PBA give thousands more fans a chance to see Huskers in action

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Getting a seat to watch Nebraska volleyball isn’t easy, with the Bob Devaney Center selling out every season.

This weekend, for the first time ever, the team is playing at Pinnacle Bank Arena, which opens the doors to thousands more fans.

And tickets sold out within hours.

“We got front row tickets for every match for Friday, Saturday and Sunday and we are just thrilled and looking very much forward to it,” fan Bob Downey said.

The Devaney currently holds about 8,300 fans; after next year’s renovation, it’ll jump to 10,000.

But at PBA, there’s room for about 15,500.

Fans told Channel 8 that means more opportunity and more energy.

“Well, if the roof’s still on the Pinnacle Bank Arena after this weekend, I’ll be surprised,” Downey said.

For many, this weekend is about more than just volleyball — it’s about growing the game.

“It’s a No. 1 team in the country, so it shouldn’t surprise anybody that they would get these kind of crowds,” said John Shrader, associate professor of sports journalism at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

He said this move should be permanent.

“Wisconsin comes to town, you can fill up Pinnacle Bank without a problem,” Shrader said. “Stanford comes to town, Louisville comes to won, Penn State comes to town. There’s just a certain number of opponents where you can be sure that the arena will be fill. Now it’s a matter of, ‘Can you fill it up every single time?’ Probably.”

The fans have to agree.

“It would be nice to see more at Pinnacle Bank Arena so more people can experience that feeling,” Downey said.

But once this weekend is over, fans will be more than happy to cheer on the Huskers at the Devaney too.

“It’s something about the atmosphere at Devany because it’s their home court and they love to play on it, and they play great on it,” UNL alumna Heather Bender said. “Just ask Penn State how many times we beat them on that court.”