Iowa FB Season Tix Going Up

[JonDMiller]

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Season tickets for the seven home games of the 2014 University of Iowa football team will increase $1 per game for the general public and UI faculty and staff, the UI Athletics Department announced today. The cost of a season ticket for a UI student will not change.

Fans of the Hawkeyes who purchase general public football season tickets will pay $395 in 2014 after having paid $388 in 2013. UI faculty and staff who purchase season tickets will pay $325; this group paid $318 per ticket. The UI last increased the cost of its season football tickets following the 2011 season.

The cost of a season ticket for current UI students will remain at $175. Students will also have the opportunity to purchase a six-game season ticket at a cost of $150; the six-game season ticket will not include the Hawkeyes’ home game against Nebraska to be played at historic Kinnick Stadium on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

If available, the cost of a single-game ticket will range from $55 to $70:

Northern Iowa (Aug. 30) $60
Ball State (Sept. 6) $55
Iowa State (Sept. 13) $70
Indiana (Oct. 11) $65
Northwestern (Nov. 1) $65
Wisconsin (Nov. 22) $70
Nebraska (Nov. 28) $70

A limited number of discount priced tickets, available for use by boys and girls high school age and younger, will be available at a cost of $25 each for Iowa’s non-conference games against Northern Iowa and Ball State, and Iowa’s game against Big Ten Conference rivals Indiana and Northwestern.

Season tickets will go on sale to last year’s season ticket customers and all current UI students in late February.

Iowa will open its 2014 season on Aug. 30 against Northern Iowa in the first of seven home games at Kinnick Stadium. That schedule includes non-conference games against Ball State and Iowa State, and dates with Big Ten Conference rivals Indiana, Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Nebraska. The 2014 Hy-Vee Heroes Game against the Cornhuskers will be played on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
The 2014 season is also the first for the Big Ten Conference’s new divisions. Iowa is a member of the West Division along with this group of football programs: Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, and Wisconsin.

 

[nationalchamps]

Hard to believe it would cost almost $300 to have a family of four attend a game. And that doesn't include parking, food, etc.

 

[ICHawk24]

Note the price of the ISU game. This game continues to be a financial win for the athletic department, moreso than any OOC game they could schedule in its place.

 

[ICHawk24]

Hard to believe it would cost almost $300 to have a family of four attend a game. And that doesn't include parking, food, etc.

Family of four can go to BSU for $220.

 

[DJL]

Given the number of empty seats I saw this year, I'm surprised they are going up. I went to 5 games, and love doing it, but the price is getting ridiculous.

 

[hawkinn3]

I used to get to an NFL game once or twice a year. But, eventually the insane ticket costs, parking, food, beer made me stop. The fact the only part of the "experience" I enjoyed was the 2 hours of gameplay made it an easy choice to say home and watch a game on tv that always has the best view. I am a bigger Hawk fan than anything else and it isn't close so things will have to get much more expensive for me to quit going to games, plus I love just walking around before and after the games. I am sure there is a line, but I'm not there yet.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Given the number of empty seats I saw this year, I'm surprised they are going up. I went to 5 games, and love doing it, but the price is getting ridiculous.

The biggest problem was the student section. It was sad. I don't know if they are upset with the product, lazy or just too drunk to make it into the stadium, but that student section was starting to look almost as bad as Northwestern's once the weather started getting iffy. The seats are terrible, too, but that is a purely economic move because the school can extract donations out of many people in the old student section. It's almost as if they need to bribe the kids to go or maybe just cut the number of seats allocated.

 

[ICHawk24]

Given the number of empty seats I saw this year, I'm surprised they are going up. I went to 5 games, and love doing it, but the price is getting ridiculous.

The 2013 record will have a bigger impact on demand than the number of empty seats you saw in 2013. They will almost assuredly sell more tickets in 2014, especially if they reduce the student allotment.

 

[ICHawk24]

I forgot about $25 youth tickets for BSU, UNI, Indiana and NW. A family of four can go to BSU for $160.

 

[3GHawk]

The biggest problem was the student section. It was sad. I don't know if they are upset with the product, lazy or just too drunk to make it into the stadium, but that student section was starting to look almost as bad as Northwestern's once the weather started getting iffy. The seats are terrible, too, but that is a purely economic move because the school can extract donations out of many people in the old student section. It's almost as if they need to bribe the kids to go or maybe just cut the number of seats allocated.

You'd have to bribe anyone to sit in those seats, especially when the weather is bad and the product is not great. I don't think there is a worse viewing angle than from the end zone. Also, when the weather is bad (Nebby game last year, MI game this year), the wind is brutal, and it's hitting you head-on. Further, last year's 4-8 record meant an abundance of 11 AM kick offs which puts the south end zone portion of the student section squarely in the scoreboard's shadow, eliminating any chance of sunshine. Bottom line: the sight lines suck and it's as cold as it gets in the student section. You need liquor if you are going to sit in those seats, maybe Iowa can partner with Hawkeye Vodka for the bribe.

 

[ssckelley]

You'd have to bribe anyone to sit in those seats, especially when the weather is bad and the product is not great. I don't think there is a worse viewing angle than from the end zone. Also, when the weather is bad (Nebby game last year, MI game this year), the wind is brutal, and it's hitting you head-on. Further, last year's 4-8 record meant an abundance of 11 AM kick offs which puts the south end zone portion of the student section squarely in the scoreboard's shadow, eliminating any chance of sunshine. Bottom line: the sight lines suck and it's as cold as it gets in the student section. You need liquor if you are going to sit in those seats, maybe Iowa can partner with Hawkeye Vodka for the bribe.

Hopefully some day the UofI will wake up and realize that the students are a big part of the atmosphere and an energized student sections makes the game more enjoyable for everyone. I know Iowa needs those donations but the student atmosphere plays a huge part on how well the team does on the field (and court) along with recruiting, which leads to wins and sold out stadiums and arenas.

 

[LG210]

Looks like Barta is going to play the long-game now. Raise prices between $1 - $3 per year.

It's a much better decision than going up step-wise, in my opinion, in the absence of renovations, etc.

Who is going to cancel their tickets over $1 per game? Nobody. Even if you do that for five consecutive years, the drop-off resulting from the increase will be insignificant.

Meanwhile, Barta has an additional $500,000 (then $1,000,000, then $1,500,000, etc.) to throw at staff, facilities, or himself.

Well done, Gary.

 

[DJL]

The biggest problem was the student section. It was sad. I don't know if they are upset with the product, lazy or just too drunk to make it into the stadium, but that student section was starting to look almost as bad as Northwestern's once the weather started getting iffy. The seats are terrible, too, but that is a purely economic move because the school can extract donations out of many people in the old student section. It's almost as if they need to bribe the kids to go or maybe just cut the number of seats allocated.

I agree about the students. The atmosphere all starts with them. I also agree that they need to be moved to better seats. If we won't Kinnick to ever be the environment it has been in the past, we have to make adjustments to get the students more involved. We don't want to be NW or Indiana.

 

[uihawk82]

I agree about the students. The atmosphere all starts with them. I also agree that they need to be moved to better seats. If we won't Kinnick to ever be the environment it has been in the past, we have to make adjustments to get the students more involved. We don't want to be NW or Indiana.

Right now we are far from NW or IU where the stands are half empty if they are not playing a team that brings a lot of fans.

I had student tickets many years ago when as a freshman you started in the far north of the West Grandstands, not the endzone, and moved toward about the 30-35 yard line by the time you were a senior or "professional" grad school student.

Right now half of those tickets in those four areas of the stadium or $0 or $50 per seat donations. Put the students back in those sections and you can make up for the lost donations by having the people who sit between the 30 yard lines pay another $25-50 per seat because they have more money and will pay it.

 

[Chickenlounge]

It makes sense that they raise ticket prices every year. I mean, everybody gets a nice hefty raise each year from their employer right? RIGHT?

 

[ICHawk24]

It makes sense that they raise ticket prices every year. I mean, everybody gets a nice hefty raise each year from their employer right? RIGHT?

They didn't raise ticket prices last year.

 

[CAARHawk]

The fascinating thing is, judging by attendance, the other side of the upper endzone seem to have fine seats at more than double the cost. Hmmm?

 

[HawkIPA]

The UI last increased the cost of its season football tickets following the 2011 season.

It makes sense that they raise ticket prices every year. I mean, everybody gets a nice hefty raise each year from their employer right? RIGHT?

Reading is hard.

 

[ibahawkeye]

The biggest problem was the student section. It was sad. I don't know if they are upset with the product, lazy or just too drunk to make it into the stadium, but that student section was starting to look almost as bad as Northwestern's once the weather started getting iffy. The seats are terrible, too, but that is a purely economic move because the school can extract donations out of many people in the old student section. It's almost as if they need to bribe the kids to go or maybe just cut the number of seats allocated.

If Vodka Sam can pull it off with a .341 BAC, no excuses for the rest of 'em!

 

[bogeyman]

You'd have to bribe anyone to sit in those seats, especially when the weather is bad and the product is not great. I don't think there is a worse viewing angle than from the end zone. Also, when the weather is bad (Nebby game last year, MI game this year), the wind is brutal, and it's hitting you head-on. Further, last year's 4-8 record meant an abundance of 11 AM kick offs which puts the south end zone portion of the student section squarely in the scoreboard's shadow, eliminating any chance of sunshine. Bottom line: the sight lines suck and it's as cold as it gets in the student section. You need liquor if you are going to sit in those seats, maybe Iowa can partner with Hawkeye Vodka for the bribe.

Interesting some of the seats to the east of the students in the same end zone they are starting to charge a "donation" for this year. I wouldn't pay a "donation" to sit in those seats. I'm in NW End Zone and if they start charging me a "donation" for those I'll have to consider just forgetting it and watching on HD at home. I can always pick a game or two I want to go to and just buy singles or scalp.