Coming down to first Hawkeye game, looking for some advice!!

C

Canada

New Member
Me and 6 of my friends are coming down from Canada to our first hawkeye game on the 19th against Pitt. I have a few questions I was hoping someone could help me out with.

Tickets: With 7 of us it will be tough to get that many together. Were ok splitting up and tickets on stubhub are going for about $75~ right now and is it smarter to buy tickets now, or are tickets readily avaliable to be scalped on gameday? Ive read its a big capacity stadium and Im not sure how high demand is on gameday.

Accomdations: We are staying in Southern Cedar Rapids. I called our hotel and confirmed that there were plenty of ways to get to and from the game. We have no issue paying for transportation but I'm hoping they werent lying when they said it would be easy to go to and from.

Tailgating: Its not going to be practical to set up our own tailgate so we are hoping to join someones! We are all 23 year old calm University guys. Love drinking games, sports, having a good time. Willing to bring a bunch of booze and pitch in some cash for food if its there. What time does the fun start? we will be getting into Cedar rapids at about noon and planning on heading in right away, when does everything get going?

Bars: After the game we plan to go out and are open to sugestions for where to go. Not into the club scene, were more pub kinda guys.

Thanks for who ever can offer some advice excited to come down and experience Kinnick stadium for the first time!
 


I have not been on to check the Hawkeye Football Website, but depending on what game you are planning on coming to you shouldn't have any problem finding seats in the North Endzone Together. You might even be able to find them with 4 in one row and 3 in another row. I would go that route first because usually by the time you purchase tickets from Stub Hub and then pay the Service Fee a lot of the time you end up paying more than you would then just ordering them straight from the university. I will admit that I haven't looked for tickets on Stub Hub though, so I don't know that for a fact.
 


Canada said:
Me and 6 of my friends are coming down from Canada to our first hawkeye game on the 19th against Pitt. I have a few questions I was hoping someone could help me out with.

Tickets: With 7 of us it will be tough to get that many together. Were ok splitting up and tickets on stubhub are going for about $75~ right now and is it smarter to buy tickets now, or are tickets readily avaliable to be scalped on gameday? Ive read its a big capacity stadium and Im not sure how high demand is on gameday.

Accomdations: We are staying in Southern Cedar Rapids. I called our hotel and confirmed that there were plenty of ways to get to and from the game. We have no issue paying for transportation but I'm hoping they werent lying when they said it would be easy to go to and from.

Tailgating: Its not going to be practical to set up our own tailgate so we are hoping to join someones! We are all 23 year old calm University guys. Love drinking games, sports, having a good time. Willing to bring a bunch of booze and pitch in some cash for food if its there. What time does the fun start? we will be getting into Cedar rapids at about noon and planning on heading in right away, when does everything get going?

Bars: After the game we plan to go out and are open to sugestions for where to go. Not into the club scene, were more pub kinda guys.

Thanks for who ever can offer some advice excited to come down and experience Kinnick stadium for the first time!
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I would buy tickets how you are comfortable doing it. If you buy them before hand, I'm sure you an get them all together, and then not have to worry about the hassle of getting them before the game. If you do get them game day, there will be plenty available, but you might not get them all together, but you will get them cheaper. My buddies and I pick up extra cheap tickets before the games so we can go out at halftime and have a couple beers, they were available for every game last year, so there will be even more this year I'm guessing.

Can't speak on accommodation, as I either stay at a buddies or drive back to Des Moines.

Tailgating I'm not sure what to tell ya. With it being a night game, I know plenty of tailgates will have TV's and all day set ups there. If you don't want to set anything up, I'd at least bring enough food and beer for yourself in coolers on rollers (easy to move). I'm sure tons of people would let you into their tailgate, or use their grills for you food, and join them at their tailgates. You could also just bring in two cars and park together and have a smaller set up. Like I said there will be plenty of people around who would let you use a grill if you didn't want to hassle with that.

Bars you will be able to find whatever you want downtown after. Might be better severed getting advice from a 20 something on that, than from me. :)
 


First thing, did you check the University of Iowa ticket office for tickets because $75 on stub hub is higher than face value. Also, as IowaMatt72 said the Univ has a lot of unsold tickets so pay the face value to the ticket office to get all your tickets together. If you rent a van or big car in Cedar Rapids and leave early to tailgate before the game you should have not trouble driving down on 4 lane interstate. Wear a little Canada stuff and the fans will love you.
 


uihawk82 said:
First thing, did you check the University of Iowa ticket office for tickets because $75 on stub hub is higher than face value. Also, as IowaMatt72 said the Univ has a lot of unsold tickets so pay the face value to the ticket office to get all your tickets together. If you rent a van or big car in Cedar Rapids and leave early to tailgate before the game you should have not trouble driving down on 4 lane interstate. Wear a little Canada stuff and the fans will love you.
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Is Uber in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City?

Not sure what the cab scene between IC and CR is.
 


Is the HawkyeExpress going this year. This is a train that goes from Coralville mall area right to the stadium. They could potentially cab from their southern Cedar Rapids hotel to the mall & get on the Hawkeye express which would be cheaper than taking a cab from CR to the stadium.

http://www.hawkeyesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/081605aai.html

If you bring ample booz & some cash, I'm pretty certain you can hop in on a tailgate if you explain your situation and are curteous, which you sound to be. Do you have any black and gold Canada attire!?

You will have a terrific time.

Z
 


Be careful if you bring bottles of liquor the police will make you pour it out then give you a ticket. Beer,wine and champagne are ok.
 
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Scalp some tickets before the game for dirt cheap. You might miss kickoff, but oh well. There will be PLENTY of open seats in Kinnick this year, and you'll be able to move pretty much wherever you want. My buddies and I do this when we take our sons to the game, and then we just all meet in the upper rows above the student section. There are always a good 10-15 rows open, and that gives the kids some room to run around if they get antsy. Plus it's shaded by early afternoon.

Not sure on transportation, as I normally ride my bike to our tailgate, or catch a ride with someone else. Could be fun for you to get a shuttle to the Hawkeye Express (boards just south of Coral Ridge Mall) and take the train into the game.

As for "open" tailgates, I'm sure you can find someone to party with. There are plenty of tailgates out there.

After the game, you should check out the Wig & Pen. It's a British-themed pub and pizza joint. Best pizza in town (although some will argue that Pagliai's is better...don't listen to them), especially the Union Jack Flying Tomato. It will be crowded though, especially if the Hawks win. Other than that, the Vine next door is your standard better-than-average bar grub. Or head downtown and check out Joe's (no food), the Airliner (food), Dublin Underground (no food), Deadwood, Mickey's Irish Pub & Grill, or any number of the bars/restaurants. If the Hawks win, they'll all be pretty rowdy. Steer clear of the Union, Eden, and Bardot if you don't like the club scene. Downtown may seem like a long walk, but there will be a few thousand other people walking, so it shouldn't be too bad.

One thing to consider: Have you looked into AirBnb? I found one property available for 7 people in Coralville that is priced pretty reasonably, and then you don't have to worry about transportation back to Cedar Rapids after being at the bars all night.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3667602?checkin=09/19/2015&checkout=09/20/2015&guests=7&s=YctF
 


Ey, hoser. First thing, if you can, ditch the hotel in crapids and get a hotel in iowa city. I mean, for cripes sakes marge, if ur gonna come all the way from canadia do it right and stay in Iowa city. Place to be for a bunch of young hosers looking to forget about lonely winter months up north with unshaven winter bush Canadian women is downtown at the holiday inn. If that is full, try a place in coralville. Next- tailgating- everyone here ******* about how bad it's become, but don't you worry, you sasquatchs will have plenty of fun, there is plenty of partying, guaranteed. Anywhere on melrose will do just fine. Pre-game- start your day at the airliner, great food. After the game, ped mall is the only place for a bunch of Canadian studs. One shot per bar but be careful you don't wanna end up in wearing Iowa city's orange jump suit. Prowler needs a jump.
 


Every hotel I checked in Iowa City had no rooms avaliable on the Saturday night. Is us staying in cedar rapids going to be that much of a hassle?
 








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