The Nebraska soccer program is taking the air out of one among its greatest traditions.
The staff won’t launch balloons following its first landing at dwelling — one thing it has finished because the Sixties — in accordance with an announcement from athletic director Trev Alberts. The Cornhuskers’ custom will probably be placed on maintain on account of a world helium scarcity.
“Buying helium in right this moment’s day and age, among the manufacturing of it’s actually challenged, and it has been exhausting to get,” Alberts stated on his radio present on Monday, in accordance with ESPN. “So we have been requested by the college, the helium that we’re getting as a college, we have to use for medical functions at [University of Nebraska Medical Center] in Omaha.
“And so we’re this 12 months not going to be offering the pink balloons for the primary time at Memorial Stadium.”
The helium scarcity is expounded to the US’ sanctions towards Russia, ESPN report. Whereas the scarcity is forcing Nebraska to halt the balloon custom, environmental issues have additionally been dropped at Alberts’ consideration over in recent times.
Again in 2016, a Nebraska man filed a lawsuit towards the college, claiming that the balloons have been a well being hazard to youngsters and animals as soon as they deflated and landed on the bottom. Moreover, Nebraska’s scholar authorities — although they don’t have any management over the state of affairs — voted to finish the balloon custom in November.
Alberts added that Nebraska’s marking division is brainstorming potential alternate celebrations, which can embody digital replications of the pink balloons being launched.