After the first touchdown of a home game, Nebraska will stop releasing red balloons because of a global helium shortage, according to the athletic director.
Red balloons will not be handed out before Nebraska home games this fall according to Alberts. The tradition of releasing balloons after a touchdown began in the 1960s.
Russia is one of the world's top suppliers of helium and has been hit by sanctions.
Alberts said that it has been difficult to get helium in today's day and age. The red balloons will not be provided for the first time at Memorial Stadium.
The marketing department is working on alternate celebrations. He acknowledged the environmental concerns that have been expressed over the years about the balloon tradition.
A man from Nebraska filed a lawsuit against the university in 2016 claiming the balloons posed a health hazard to young children and wildlife after they return to the ground. The student government in Nebraska voted to end the tradition in November.
The athletic director at Nebraska, Alberts, loves the red balloon tradition.
As an athletic department, it became clear that it was going to be hard to get, because of the limited supply of helium.
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