The special significance behind Nebraska and Minnesota’s ‘Broken Chair Rivalry’
By Quanecia Fraser
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Nebraska (KETV) — Nebraska’s game against Minnesota Friday will be special in more ways than one.
Each year, the rivalry raises several thousand dollars for cancer research and more.
And that rivalry is symbolized with a broken chair.
“It started as (people on the) internet having fun,” said Evan Reeder, who is part of the group behind the trophy.
In 2014, a parody Twitter account for Nebraska’s then football coach posted, “OK how about if we win you give me $5, if you win I get to smash a wooden chair over your back.”
That’s when an account under the name “Goldy the Gopher” replied, “Just as long as we can turn that $5 or bits of broken chair into a trophy for next year’s game.”
“Within a week, there was an actual trophy built,” Reeder said.
And within a few years, it was about more than a trophy.
Reeder told KETV, “In the last three or four years, it’s really grown to the fact that when we walk around, people are like, ‘Is that the chair?'”
It’s now turned into a challenge to see which fan base can raise the most money for two important causes.
One of them is the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. The other is the Team Jack Foundation, which raises money for pediatric brain cancer research.
“It’s actually raising significant funds and helping us further our missions, so it’s been really fun to do, but it’s also been very impactful,” said Kylie Dockter, the executive director of the Team Jack Foundation.
In the last eight years, more than $170,000 has been raised for the charities.
Dockter says that with Jack Hoffman passing away earlier this year, the tradition is even more special.
“With anything we do this year after Jack has passed away. For us, it’s more urgent and it’s more important. And really, we’re going to continue to push as hard as we can,” Dockter said.
Both Dockter and Reeder hope people take the time to continue the tradition that goes well beyond the football field.
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