Brian Ferentz 'Stadium Experience is Lacking'

DesMoinesHawki said:
Who knows exactly what he means ... To start with, of course the environment inside the stadium coincides with the product on the field. And we know the past couple of years have not been the best. Kinnick used to be sacred ground. When teams like Central Michigan come in and beat you at home it does a little something to the pride :)

As a 9-year season ticket holder (this is my first year without tickets) some of the top things that come to mind that used to annoy the heck out of me:

* The stadium coordination of the music and person on the PA
* The way the stadium announcer would simply ruin the moment when the crowd was really into something and they they kill it with an announcement about "Get your women's season tickets..."
* The PA person himself ... "And be kind to your neighbor and treat our guests ..." Sorry, he may be a nice guy but he does little to inject any excitement into the crowd. Is he really the best voice out there to be the stadium announcer? Seriously ... I have been to a lot of different stadiums and the PA guy can make a big difference ... The Kinnick PA guy made me feel like I was at a bingo hall.
* The band playing the same songs, over ... and over .. and over
* And that ridiculous Panchero burrito gimmick. Okay, that may have been fun when you started it 5 years ago ... Let it go

Ha ... going back and reading my post makes me realize I made the right decision for me ... I sound bitter! Ha ... No, those were just things that when you take the sum total sort of took away from the environment.

Iowa should take a look at the game-day experience it offers fans. I am not saying the university should lax its drinking rules, etc., because Lord knows we don't need more people stumbling around who can't handle their alcohol ... but the environment definitely changed a lot in the 9 years I had season tickets. Many of fun parking lots closed ... vendors gone ... etc. When the Hawks were winning fans could have cared less what was piped into the stadium ...

But in general ... Iowa is sort of a step behind in general ... We are cautious by nature ... Don't really like change (i.e. the fans who still hate the idea of Pro combat unis - even though every team except for Drake has them) ... Sure, I like tradition ... But you need to adapt to the times ... I think even our coaching staff got caught up with not adapting to the times ... how we recruit ... etc. And now we have a little injection of youth in the staff ...

Winning cures a lot ... But sure, there are definnitely some things the university can do to liven up the atmosphere ... Personally, after 9 years of season tickets I don't miss making the all-day trek and sitting next to the drunk ahole behind me calling for "O'Keefe's" head when O'Keefe is no longer there. Now ... I fire up my smoker on game day ... grab my favorite beverage ... turn on the new 65 inch tv ... and life is good. Sure, being at Kinnick is a wonderful experience ... but not what it used to be ...
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You know that's the thing that ticks me off the most! People are always saying now....I'm not saying we should lax on the alcohol rules...blah blah blah... etc etc. The simple fact is that we have been conditioned into believing all this tripe just like Men have been metrosexualized, and America has been wussified! I don't drink much anymore....my choice, I don't smoke anymore....my choice but honestly the reason people don't have fun to much anymore is all the choices have been slowly, insidiously taken away from everyone! Don't tell me that the universities that are somewhat lax on the drinking don't have a lot better time and atmosphere. Yes people do make stupid decisions on occasion but so what. Things were way better pre 1990 when you could go act like a fool every now and then. People have become robot puds! and it really makes me mad. Live life some! Bring the tailgating back around the stadium and let it be a big whoopin party. How do you think the fans delt with it in the dark ages of Iowa football. 90 percent of them were bombed! That's how. Like I said crazy too cause I really don't drink much anymore but by God if I want to I want to have that right and privilege. Others should have that right too. That's all and good fre***in day!
 
gohawkz said:
More drinking. Just like the good old days when Greenway and company were the bullies of the big Ten.


Chad Greenway of Minnesota Vikings wants Metrodome fans 'super-duper drunk' - ESPN Chicago
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Between the extremely conservative football and Barta's brilliant leadership, there isn't much for fans to get excited about. Throw in the "sit down" grey hairs, the poor product and its not much fun anymore.
 
lightning1 said:
Between the extremely conservative football and Barta's brilliant leadership, there isn't much for fans to get excited about. Throw in the "sit down" grey hairs, the poor product and its not much fun anymore.
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Iowa has a problem. It needs an infusion of young fans that will stand and be loud and proud on every play. Problem is the pricing is too expensive for a young family to afford. Instead we get all the blue hairs in between the 35s that want to sit and call security if you don't sit down after they ask.

if you are too old to stand while the action is going then why do you come to the games? If you can't stand then don't be ****** when everyone else does or give your tickets to your kids or grand kids.
 
Cory said:
Iowa has a problem. It needs an infusion of young fans that will stand and be loud and proud on every play. Problem is the pricing is too expensive for a young family to afford. Instead we get all the blue hairs in between the 35s that want to sit and call security if you don't sit down after they ask.

if you are too old to stand while the action is going then why do you come to the games? If you can't stand then don't be ****** when everyone else does or give your tickets to your kids or grand kids.
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One word: Students
 
Last week for the jNW game was the first game since 2011 I felt compelled to actually get loud when on D. The product on the field has a lot to do with it.
 
The new scoreboard is a complete joke:
1) Let's be honest....it's just a billboard for whoever has the bucks to advertise on it.
2) How come it didn't come with instructions? We don't even know how to run it.
3) Almost no updates for NCAA scores across the country...or at least the Big 10. Would be cool if they had
live scores for top 20 or all Big 10 games.
 
we'll i'd be excited to go to a game. havn't been there since 1996 when Timmy lit up #1 Ohio State.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
As a former HMB member, I'll say it. The band is weak. But it wasn't always this way.

Watch other college football games, it's energy, energy, energy coming from the band. I can't count the number of times during a timeout, stoppage in play or some other quiet lull in the action... that I've looked over at the band and they're sitting there...doing nothing. THIS...as much as anything, allows the energy to just die in the stadium.

As a guy who's been there, done that...when the band was damn hot... it pizzes me off. You couldn't keep us quiet "back in the old days". We were freaking nuts and it was a gas!!!

That's what the marching band is there for.... DO YOUR DAMN JOB


The scoreboard, the team entrance, the band... have all taken on the characteristics of the Head Coach. Bland, predictable and no energy. It's no coincidence. This is the way Sally Mason and the East Campus crew likes it.
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Agree 1000%. I love marching bands, but the HMB doesn't excite me much. They need to be more like the Ohio State Band. tOSU doesn't need some stupid pregame video with semi trucks, because they have the coolest pregame show in college football. Also, they played a little cheer at every single stoppage of play. I also think the HMB could be bigger, maybe by as much as 100.

Of course, If the team wins games, then this is moot.
 
enmaster said:
Agree 1000%. I love marching bands, but the HMB doesn't excite me much. They need to be more like the Ohio State Band. tOSU doesn't need some stupid pregame video with semi trucks, because they have the coolest pregame show in college football. Also, they played a little cheer at every single stoppage of play. I also think the HMB could be bigger, maybe by as much as 100.

Of course, If the team wins games, then this is moot.
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The band can be a powerful weapon. A few years ago in a basketball game at OSU, A Buckeye band member was using a cymbal to reflect the lights into the eyes of the Hawkeye shooting free throws. Took a while to figure it out. Go figure.....

:rolleyes:
 
What a bunch of negative fans. Hey we might not always be happy with what we see at the game but still show up and cheer. I think a great home crowd is worth 7 points--probably more since it is Wisconsin. I want to go to a bowl game so get to the game and make some noise. Save your negative comments until after the game
 
DP5555 said:
Who knows what he means... What is clear is that he's asking the fans to bring it this Saturday because they need the help. I certainly hope his message is received by the majority of people going. Wish I was one of them! For those of you who are lucky enough to be in attendance I hope you don't hold anything back! If you still have your voice on Sunday... shame on you!
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This is what Brian wants. An extra decibel or two wont hurt. Bring it today fans!
 
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