The Broken Chair Trophy, a scrappy rivalry tradition born online more than a decade ago, is swapping the football field for the volleyball court this year. Nebraska and Minnesota fans will bring their charity fundraiser alongside the two schools' volleyball rivalry match on Nov. 17 in Lincoln, with donations once again flowing to causes that support children facing serious medical challenges.
The move comes because the two programs are not meeting on the gridiron this season, and fans have found another venue to keep the tradition alive. According to KETV, the fan-led fundraiser has raised nearly $213,000 since 2017 for causes supporting children and families facing serious medical challenges. The campaign's own tracking page, however, puts the total at nearly $212,660 raised since 2017 for what it calls two incredible causes — a small discrepancy between the two counts that has not been reconciled.
Two Fanbases, Two Causes
As in past years, Nebraska fans are being asked to donate to the Team Jack Foundation, which raises money and awareness for childhood brain cancer research, the station's report notes. Minnesota fans, meanwhile, can support TB1Fund, also known as Team Brax, which provides experiences and curated items for patients and families at M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital.
Team Jack Foundation Executive Director Kylie Dockter said the need remains urgent. “Childhood brain cancer research remains severely underfunded,” Dockter said, per the same account, adding that “community support plays an important role in helping us move research forward and create more treatment options for kids.”
A Trophy Born on the Internet
The Broken Chair Trophy's origins trace back to 2014, when it was created online and has traditionally gone to the winner of the Nebraska-Minnesota football game, according to 1011now.com. Since 2017, the rivalry has doubled as a fundraising vehicle, with each fanbase backing its own cause, the outlet reported. A 2024 report from the same station noted the tradition was then celebrating its 10th year, having raised more than $175,000 for good causes, while the fundraiser's own campaign page describes this year's edition as its tenth year of fundraising.
This isn't the first time the two schools' volleyball teams have hosted the trophy instead of the football squads. In 2024, the Broken Chair made its way to the Devaney Center's volleyball court because Nebraska and Minnesota weren't scheduled to play football that season, 1011now.com reported at the time.
A Growing Tally Over the Years
The fundraiser has built momentum steadily since its early years. A 2021 report from Norfolk Daily News found that college football fans had donated more than $90,000 to the two organizations in the name of the rivalry trophy up to that point. That same year marked a record for the cause: Nebraska and Minnesota football supporters donated $48,000 to the Team Jack Foundation and M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital, smashing a $20,000 donation goal set before the game, according to Norfolk Daily News. After Minnesota won that matchup, the trophy spent the following year on display at Kyle Rudolph's End Zone inside the children's hospital, greeting families there.
Beyond the rivalry fundraiser itself, the Team Jack Foundation runs other awareness efforts year-round, including a radiothon broadcast on more than 25 radio stations across Nebraska, with proceeds benefiting childhood brain cancer research, per the organization. Fundraiser and Broken Chair Trophy information is available at brokenchairtrophy.com.
