A Nebraska home football tradition won’t be taking place in the Cornhuskers’ 2022 season. Nebraska AD Trev Alberts announced that fans won’t be receiving red balloons at Memorial Stadium this fall to release after the first touchdown.

Alberts shared the news on his monthly radio show. Sam McKewon of the Omaha World-Herald notes that the tradition had come under criticism for environmental reasons. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln student government voted to end the tradition in November of last year, though the student government’s vote did not have a binding effect on NU’s decision. Alberts shared that it’s a production issue.

“Some of the production of it is really challenged, and it’s hard to get,” Alberts said on Husker Sports Radio, per McKewon. “So we’ve been asked by the university – the helium we are getting as a university, we need to use for medical purposes at UNMC in Omaha. And so we are, this year, not going to be providing the red balloons.”

The Nebraska AD noted that some helium production takes place over in Russia. Worldwide sanctions have limited the country’s exports.

Per McKewon, Alberts said the school is working “really hard” on alternatives. Digital representation of balloons on the video boards was mentioned as a possibility.

Nebraska opens the 2022 season against Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland. The Huskers’ home opener is set for Sept. 3 against North Dakota.