The Great Migration 🦆

The Lincoln Ledger: August 16th, 2024

August 16, 2024

Happy Friday Ledgers,

The move-in season for UNL is here, and with it comes the annual migration of 20,000 students descending upon Lincoln. As the city buzzes with energy, you might just catch a whiff of vodka mingled with Mio, drawn straight from a plastic bottle—the unofficial scent of college life.

In this week’s issue:

  • Cashless: NU sports going cashless.

  • What To Do: Ath-a-letes, plant daddies, and Sunday soccer.

  • Sportz: Walking. It’s a sport, too.

  • Neighborhood Watch: Horse girl hangout.

Well… Looks like the Ledger is having a tailgate. 👀

- Landon

Last Week’s Poll Results:
Would you attend a TLL tailgate this fall?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 YES 👍 (77.40%)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ NO 👎 (22.60%)

PLASTIC

Credit Card Snl GIF by Saturday Night Live

Gif by snl on Giphy

Huskers ditch cash money. 💳

Save your dirty cash for your next small-town bar crawl; it’s no longer welcome here 🙅🏼‍♀️.

Last week, the University of Nebraska announced it will no longer accept cash payments at sporting events, including football games at Memorial Stadium. This move is part of the University’s ongoing effort to enhance fan experience, a process that started with Wi-Fi upgrades and ends with stadium updates.

Why cashless?.. Switching to digital payments isn’t just about keeping up with the times, it’s generally about efficiency and safety. Digital transactions streamline the purchasing process, reducing wait times and long queues. This means fans can spend less time in crowded areas and more time enjoying the too-loud commentary of someone’s drunk uncle in the seat behind them, with the added bonus of a safer environment. By eliminating cash handling, the risk of theft and human error drops, and the cost savings in personnel and cash management only sweeten the deal.

A larger payments trend… The shift toward cashless payments isn’t new. It’s been a global trend for 15+ years and is now making its way into the heart of Husker Nation. While the change at Memorial Stadium might feel personal for some fans, it’s just a small part of a broader movement across major sports venues and payments in general.

🔢 By the numbers:

  • 41%: Americans that never use cash for purchases in a typical week.

  • 50%: The amount of transaction time that cashless payment options can save.

  • 29 out of 30: NFL teams have transitioned to cashless payments as of 2021.

  • 15-30%: The increase in spending by fans as a result of cashless payment options.

What about the hawkers?.. You know, the people who sling Runzas and Valentinos like an “Old West” cowboy? According to R/Huskers, it looks like the hawkers could be going cashless as well…

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WHAT TO DO

Ath-a-letes, plant daddies, and Sunday soccer.

Break out the Gold Bond; it’ll be a hot one.

🏌️‍♀️ Former Athlete Date Night
Tonight, put that useless paper currency to work. You’ll challenge your date to feats of athleticism at Adventure Golf, a Lincoln classic. Choose your challenge: (a) throw out your back in the batting cages or (b) embarrass yourself on the putt-putt course. Once you’ve proven your athletic prowess, cool down with drinks and dinner at Catalyst. We would highly recommend the cheese curds, which may be the best in Lincoln.

🪴 Plant Daddy
Tomorrow, you’ll live in denial and buy a new house plant that will most surely not survive to see Labor Day at the Summer Vendor Garden (4:00-8:00 PM) hosted by Campbell’s Nursery. In addition to plants (lots of plants), there will be 30+ vendors, as well as food trucks and drinks. Looking for something to do afterward? Bring your favorite board game with you and head over to Zipline Beer Hall. Meet up with friends and soak in the Saturday evening vibes.

⚽️ Husker Soccer
Close out a weekend of fun with an afternoon at the soccer pitch. The Husker Soccer team takes on Colorado State at home, starting at 1:05 PM. Take in all of the energy of Hibner Stadium and embrace the hype surrounding this year’s team. What’s more, it’s “Dollar Day,” so you’ll grab your tickets for a buck.

SPORTZ

Sporting headlines from around the capital.

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

Horse Girl Hangout 🐎

Saddle up for the ultimate equestrian dream on Secretariat Drive! Just outside of Lincoln, this magnificent estate is the perfect backdrop for both the end of Horse Girl Summer and the beginning of Horse Girl Fall (because what's better than galloping in the autumn leaves? Nothing.).

Picture this: You, waking up each morning as the sun rises over 6.2 acres of pristine, dew-kissed land. You slip on your chore coat, grab a steaming cup of coffee, and stroll out to your private barn, where your loyal steeds await. It’s a scene straight out of a Mary-Kate and Ashley movie (you know the ones). This is the place where your childhood dreams meet adult reality.

With six bedrooms and four baths spread across 6,105 square feet, this beauty offers space, style, and a whole lot of soul. The fenced property not only keeps your horses safe but adds some classic charm that makes you want to wrap a chunky sweater around yourself as you stare off into the sunset while a gentle power ballad plays in the background. And when fall rolls in, you'll be hosting the most epic hayrack rides, complete with bonfires and s'mores, of course.

The Details:

  • 6 beds, 4 baths

  • 6,105 sq/ft

  • Built in 1993

  • Beautiful white fences for your Instagram fodder

❤️ KEEP: The stunning landscape, the spacious outdoor patio area perfect for hosting, the cozy farmhouse styling, the private barn for your horses, the deck off of the primary bedroom for morning coffee rituals, and the inviting downstairs den that screams movie nights.

🗑️ TOSS: Honestly, we love most of this one. That said, we'd suggest adding a splash of color to the interiors and investing in some statement art pieces to give it that extra pop. Oh, and a few updated light fixtures in the kitchen wouldn't hurt, either.

CHECKLIST

An over-ambitious weekend to-do list.

  • Pick up some early fall decor (Halloween decor is out at Home Depot, Lowes, and Costco).

  • Confirm your vacation location for this winter.

  • Take a few minutes to update your calendar.

  • Pick up a gift for that upcoming baby or bridal shower.

  • Schedule your yard aeration appointment for late September.

  • Clean off your golf club set. You’ve been chunkin’ it most of the summer.

HEADLINES

More news from around the capital.

🐯 Weekly Wildcard:
One headline (or post) we never saw coming.

ABOUT TLL

We created this sliver of the internet to make it easy for no-coasters to keep tabs on what’s happening in Lincoln and to give you new ideas on how to spend your time.