Man sues Nebraska over balloon tradition at football games
One man is not a fan of a particular Nebraska football tradition – and he is going to great lengths to stop it.
According to the Lincoln Journal Star, Randall Krause of Omaha is suing the university in an effort to stop Nebraska fans from releasing red balloons when the Huskers score their first points of every home game. The lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court on Tuesday, argues that the release of the balloons violates a federal law related to waste.
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From the Journal Star:
In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court Tuesday, Randall Krause said the mass balloon release results in the open dumping of solid waste, which is prohibited under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
Over the last half century, Krause alleges in his lawsuit, NU has promoted a balloon release during home Husker football games in the fall after the team scores its first points in which thousands of spectators take part.
After the balloons are released, they are “carried away by the wind and forces of nature,” Krause said, traveling beyond university property and potentially landing hundreds or thousands of miles away. Because they no longer serve their purpose of “enhancing the fan experience” once released, Krause argues the balloons have “become solid waste the moment they are out of sight of the fans.”
Krause, who personally wrote the complaint, argues that the balloons and attached ribbons present “a serious threat to wildlife through entanglement.” The balloons, which are made of latex, are also dangerous for animals if eaten, he wrote.
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Krause hopes the court will “declare that the mass balloon releases result in the open dumping of solid waste” and Nebraska will stop promoting the practice at Memorial Stadium during games.
For more Nebraska news, visit HuskerOnline.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
