By Bridget (Weide) Brooks
For nearly 30 years, the Blue Line Club has been a central part of Omaha Hockey. The BLC started before the first UNO Hockey game was played. It was a fan-driven group, a community that existed not only to provide financial support for the hockey program, but a way for supporters to feel connected to the program beyond game day.
The mission of the club, as outlined in a 2024-25 handout from the Omaha Athletic Department was: “Founded in 1996, the UNO Blue Line Club supports all things Maverick Hockey. It’s ongoing mission is to support UNO hockey through fundraising activities, promote enthusiastic fan support through a variety of membership activities and build a greater interest in the sport of hockey throughout Omaha and the State of Nebraska.”
In the early years of the program, the Blue Line Club hosted pre-season gatherings for fans to get to know players at picnics, grill-outs, and on the River City Star riverboat.
1. The Price of Admission
Previously, fans could join the Blue Line Club at the lowest level with a $50 donation. Under the new structure, a $100 minimum annual donation is required for membership
It’s not yet fully clear whether that amount is per person or per household, which is something worth watching as more details are released.
2. Who Runs It
The Blue Line Club used to be a member-led organization with its own board.
That’s going away. The program will now be run by the University of Nebraska Foundation and Omaha Athletics. There will no longer be a Blue Line Club Board of Directors.
That’s a significant philosophical shift — from a grassroots-style supporter group to an institutional model.
3. How Giving Is Structured
This may be one of the biggest behind-the-scenes changes. “Per seat contributions” tied to season tickets will now count toward Blue Line Club membership.
How those benefits are executed is the key. For example, “early entry into Baxter Arena.” For the past two seasons, my niece, Scotland, prompted us to get to the arena around 5:30 p.m. on game days so she could watch the players go through their pre-game “land” warmups and she could get a fist-bump as the players went back to the locker room. Will that continue, or will the “early entry” only give access to the Maverick Hospitality Room (to be located in the lobby next season), and not the arena itself?
The messaging leaves the door open for future updates, but for now, it’s another example of change with the transition from the BLC to the ONE Fund.
(As an aside: Jon’s productions of “In the Crease” received first-place honors in the print newsletter category in the Omaha Press Club’s annual Excellence in Journalism contest in 2007.)
The Bottom Line
The Blue Line Club isn’t going away, but it is becoming something different.
But one thing is clear: After 30 years, the Blue Line Club that we once knew will no longer exist.
For nearly 30 years, the Blue Line Club has been a central part of Omaha Hockey. The BLC started before the first UNO Hockey game was played. It was a fan-driven group, a community that existed not only to provide financial support for the hockey program, but a way for supporters to feel connected to the program beyond game day.
The mission of the club, as outlined in a 2024-25 handout from the Omaha Athletic Department was: “Founded in 1996, the UNO Blue Line Club supports all things Maverick Hockey. It’s ongoing mission is to support UNO hockey through fundraising activities, promote enthusiastic fan support through a variety of membership activities and build a greater interest in the sport of hockey throughout Omaha and the State of Nebraska.”
In the early years of the program, the Blue Line Club hosted pre-season gatherings for fans to get to know players at picnics, grill-outs, and on the River City Star riverboat.
For several years, there was a “Bowl With the Mavs” event, where fans could bowl with a player and purchase the player’s “shirt off their back” for $25 (featuring the player name and number). We ended up with several of these.
There were pre-game parties — like one in 2009 at Barley’s Tip Top before the UNO vs. Notre Dame game at the Civic Auditorium. The event details said “The first keg is free and snacks will be provided.”
There were weekly hockey luncheons featuring Coach Kemp, the visiting team coach, a guest speaker, and a player or two along with highlight videos from the previous series. These luncheons, modeled on the Big Red Breakfasts, drew hundreds of fans to a Friday lunch. Blue Line Club members could purchase a book of tickets and attend the luncheons of their choosing, with no RSVP required.
There was an end-of-season banquet (“The UNO Hockey Awards Banquet”) for fans to celebrate the players and their accomplishments.
From the March 2003 ceremony:
The Blue Line Club also coordinated Parent’s Weekend activities, including a brunch for player parents.
The primary reason the Blue Line Club had more than 1000 members in the early years of the program was the $1 discount on beer and free popcorn and peanuts in the Blue Line Club “room” at the Omaha Civic Auditorium — the large gathering area at the bottom of the ramp on the first floor of the arena. Some fans actually calculated how many games it would take for them to “get back” their $35 membership fee in beer discounts.
The Blue Line Club also coordinated philanthropic events. A small group of fans put stickers on donated (empty) milk jugs and set them on the seats at the Civic Auditorium to collect donations for charity (and create an intimidating noise when they were shaken). The donations were collected at the end of the season and given to charity.
The Blue Line Club also coordinated philanthropic events. A small group of fans put stickers on donated (empty) milk jugs and set them on the seats at the Civic Auditorium to collect donations for charity (and create an intimidating noise when they were shaken). The donations were collected at the end of the season and given to charity.
The BLC organized “Pack the Q” in 2006 to raise money for the UNO Soccer Corner Kick Club and Liz’s Legacy and set a new attendance record at the Qwest Center.
Jerseys were also raffled by the BLC at home games with proceeds donated to charity.
The BLC also organized “Caps for Cancer," where new, unworn hats and caps were thrown onto the ice and collected and donated to the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Eppley Cancer Center. A news release I wrote in 2011 invited fans to throw hats onto the ice at the second intermission of the Saturday, March 12 playoff game. It mentions the collection was sponsored by MavPuck.com, The Red Army, and the UNO Blue Line Club. (It also mentioned it was the sixth year for the event.)
Blue Line Club members organized support for the university’s Women’s Walk. The 2007 Annual Diet Pepsi/UNO Women’s Walk featured a team from the Blue Line Club (“Man in the Crease”), collecting donations for women’s athletics.
One of the most prolific philanthropic events coordinated by the BLC is the 20+-year partnership with the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots, now the Sheila Leahy Toys for Tots drive (named for the late wife of Omaha Hockey color analyst Terry Leahy).
There were also periodic membership meetings with “Hockey 101” segments. Jon ran the membership meetings, focusing on a variety of topics.
Each season he would set up a meeting with the athletic department compliance officer and we would arrange for them to come and speak to the membership about things they were and were not allowed to do as it related to players, prospects, and recruits.
The “Hockey 101” segments sometimes featured a member of the coaching staff showing video to demonstrate various hockey concepts. I vividly remember Coach Mike Kemp showcasing the umbrella power play during one of the segments.
The BLC also hosted standalone “Hockey 101” events for fans. I specifically remember a “Hockey 101 for Women” held at the Qwest Center/Centurylink Center where we enjoyed a dinner with the team followed by on-ice activities.
I was not dressed appropriately for shooting pucks with a stick. (At least, that’s the excuse I’m going to use for my lack of success in getting the puck into the net.)
There was also a “Hockey 101 for Men.”
In later years, there were the Dinner with the Mavs events where fans had the opportunity to sit with a player or two during dinner and learn more about them.
There were fan activities. There were “listening parties” where fans gathered together to socialize while listening to games on the radio.
The BLC also organized bus trips to away games, including Notre Dame and Western Michigan.
Now, that structure is changing.
Omaha Athletics and the University of Nebraska Foundation have announced that the Blue Line Club will be integrated into the ONE Fund, the department’s annual giving program. Moving forward, it will operate as the Blue Line Club Fund.
And while many familiar elements are expected to remain, the overall model is shifting in some meaningful ways.
At its core, this is a move from a standalone booster club to a centralized fundraising model.
As the announcement explained: “This transition will create a unified and strengthened approach to supporting Maverick Hockey.”
A stronger alignment between Omaha Athletics, the NU Foundation, and what was previously the Blue Line Club is clearly the goal.
But that also means a change in what the Blue Line Club is.
What’s Changing
Now, that structure is changing.
Omaha Athletics and the University of Nebraska Foundation have announced that the Blue Line Club will be integrated into the ONE Fund, the department’s annual giving program. Moving forward, it will operate as the Blue Line Club Fund.
And while many familiar elements are expected to remain, the overall model is shifting in some meaningful ways.
At its core, this is a move from a standalone booster club to a centralized fundraising model.
As the announcement explained: “This transition will create a unified and strengthened approach to supporting Maverick Hockey.”
A stronger alignment between Omaha Athletics, the NU Foundation, and what was previously the Blue Line Club is clearly the goal.
But that also means a change in what the Blue Line Club is.
What’s Changing
There are a few concrete changes we can already point to.
1. The Price of Admission
Previously, fans could join the Blue Line Club at the lowest level with a $50 donation. Under the new structure, a $100 minimum annual donation is required for membership
It’s not yet fully clear whether that amount is per person or per household, which is something worth watching as more details are released.
2. Who Runs It
The Blue Line Club used to be a member-led organization with its own board.
That’s going away. The program will now be run by the University of Nebraska Foundation and Omaha Athletics. There will no longer be a Blue Line Club Board of Directors.
That’s a significant philosophical shift — from a grassroots-style supporter group to an institutional model.
The email from Omaha Athletics said, “This decision was made in collaboration with the University of Nebraska Foundation, Omaha Athletics, and Blue Line Club Board,” but in talking with several board members, the decision was not collaborative. The decision had already been made, and it was communicated to the board.
3. How Giving Is Structured
This may be one of the biggest behind-the-scenes changes. “Per seat contributions” tied to season tickets will now count toward Blue Line Club membership.
The email emphasized that the new Blue Line Club Fund becomes part of the broader ONE Fund giving structure.
This is interesting, because joining the Blue Line Club over the last few years at least meant writing a check (or signing up online) to donate to the ONE Fund. The NU Foundation already had oversight of the finances of the club, and received donations directly. In fact, that was often a source of friction for new members. It would take time — sometimes several weeks — for the BLC treasurer to receive an updated list of eligible members to generate the membership cards for new members. There was often a significant delay in receiving acknowledgement that the membership “dues” had been received.
As a member, I have to wonder who will be keeping the membership “rolls” going forward. How will access to the Maverick Hospitality room be designated? When we donated to get access to the hospitality room (and parking pass) in 2024-25 and again in 2025-26, I had to make several inquiries to those who run the ONE Fund before the benefits were activated in my ticket account, and it took several weeks both times.
Will there be better integration with the Blue Line Club being folded into the larger athletic fundraising system? It’s too soon to tell.
4. Benefits Are Being Reworked
This is the biggest change for fans, especially former Blue Line Club members.
This is the biggest change for fans, especially former Blue Line Club members.
From what’s been shared so far, donors can expect:
- Early entry into Baxter Arena
- Access to a Maverick Hospitality Room pregame
- Free popcorn and a cash bar
- Opportunity to participate in the pregame tunnel walk
- At least two member appreciation nights
- An exclusive event with coaches and student-athletes
How those benefits are executed is the key. For example, “early entry into Baxter Arena.” For the past two seasons, my niece, Scotland, prompted us to get to the arena around 5:30 p.m. on game days so she could watch the players go through their pre-game “land” warmups and she could get a fist-bump as the players went back to the locker room. Will that continue, or will the “early entry” only give access to the Maverick Hospitality Room (to be located in the lobby next season), and not the arena itself?
“An exclusive event with coaches and student-athletes” doesn’t sound like the “Dinner with the Mavs” event. Instead, it sounds more like the preseason “meet and greet” that the basketball team and coaches did with fans at Aksarben Village last fall. (That event was open to all fans, not just members of the 67th Street Hoops booster club, so the “exclusive” part of it may be the difference.)
We’ve really enjoyed getting to know the players better at the Dinner with the Mavs events. These were opportunities to learn more about them as students and people off the ice. I’ve often said that it’s harder for fans to be critical of the players when they know them as human beings, and the Dinner with the Mavs was one of the best examples of that.
5. Some Traditions Are on Hold
One notable change: The Blue Line Club Golf Outing is not currently scheduled. Now, it’s possible that the fundraiser (which has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for the hockey program over the years) is on hold because of the death of one of the co-organizers, Colleen Barstow, a few months ago. It’s an event that requires a tremendous amount of planning and volunteer coordination.
One notable change: The Blue Line Club Golf Outing is not currently scheduled. Now, it’s possible that the fundraiser (which has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for the hockey program over the years) is on hold because of the death of one of the co-organizers, Colleen Barstow, a few months ago. It’s an event that requires a tremendous amount of planning and volunteer coordination.
The messaging leaves the door open for future updates, but for now, it’s another example of change with the transition from the BLC to the ONE Fund.
An article from the 2006 “In the Crease” newsletter reported that the golf outing had raised more than $150,000 to help support the Maverick hockey program over the previous eight years (at the time of publication). The 2006 event sold out and raised more than $30,000, according to event chair Allan Carr (who played for the Mavericks from 1997-2001).
What’s Staying the Same
It’s important to note that not everything is changing.
The emails emphasize that: “Many of the membership features and experiences you value will continue.”
That includes:
It’s important to note that not everything is changing.
The emails emphasize that: “Many of the membership features and experiences you value will continue.”
That includes:
- Member appreciation events
- Opportunities to connect with players and coaches
- Game day access benefits
What We Don’t Know Yet
There are still a few open questions that haven’t been fully clarified:- Is the $100 minimum per person or per household?
- Does early entry apply to the full arena or just the Hospitality Room?
- How will “special experiences” compare to what existed before?
- What (if anything) replaces traditions like the golf outing long term?
- Is the “In the Crease” newsletter going away?
That last one is interesting too.
The newsletter had evolved from a print publication to a digital one in recent years. Back when it was a print newsletter, Jon volunteered for a stint designing it and we handled the printing and mailing. (John Fey and Jeff Reinhardt also had turns producing the newsletter during those years.)
It was one of the perks of membership, and served as a historical archive of many of the program’s milestones and fundraising events. (Many of the photos and memories from previous years came from my review of past “In the Crease” newsletters.) There was no mention of the newsletter in the emails, so perhaps it won’t exist anymore.
The Blue Line Club isn’t going away, but it is becoming something different.
It’s moving from a fan-centered organization to an institutional one. From board-led to foundation-run. And from a separate booster club to an integrated fundraising arm.
Whether that ultimately feels like an upgrade, a tradeoff, or simply a change will likely depend on how the benefits that are promised to donors are executed.
Whether that ultimately feels like an upgrade, a tradeoff, or simply a change will likely depend on how the benefits that are promised to donors are executed.
But one thing is clear: After 30 years, the Blue Line Club that we once knew will no longer exist.
Here's a comparison of the previous Blue Line Club compared to the new Blue Line Club level of the ONE Fund.
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