My impressions of cyclone stadium

Ozhawk said:
It's been 12 years since I have been to Ames for a game. My impressions from my visit today. I didn't tailgate so I can't comment on that one.
1) the stadium structure itself is showing its age upper deck concrete looking very pitted and dumpy looking
2) press box is very outdated and resembles soviet style construction.
3) the stadium itself does not hold sound very well. I was shocked at how quiet and far away the ISU section sounded. However this may be due to me being in the upper deck opposite end but the place cannot contain noise.
4) ISU manufactures their own noise with a sound system that rivals a Metallica concert. Very annoying.
5) concessions are very dated and horrible service as we're the athrooms.

I was shocked at how many iowa fans were there. Compared to cyclones when it is in iowa city.

Fans were very civil and even polite. Except a few idiot iowa kids who were drunk and acting like fools to ISU fans.
Good game but in comparing facilities ISU is way behind the times.
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Are you saying there were a lot of Iowa fans there or not?
 
Ozhawk said:
I have never noticed this in the past but I couldn't believe how many Iowa fans were in the stadium. Way more Iowa Fans in Ames than ISU fans in Iowa city...ever.
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they look at this game as a way to pay for their $99 saison tacket. hok fan comin', sell!!
 
I attended ISU in the 90s. While the stadium is still a bit dated their overall facilities are in much better shape than then used to be. I think the biggest step they can take is closing off the end zone opposite the scoreboard. That would give it more of a "stadium" feel. With then open end zones it does feel a little more like a West Des Moines Valley feel.

That being said, you still need to be able to sell seats before you consider stadium expansion.

ISU is better than the Walden years, has done a nice job with marketing the program, etc., but even ISU fans will admit you still need to win some games.
 
DesMoinesHawki said:
I attended ISU in the 90s. While the stadium is still a bit dated their overall facilities are in much better shape than then used to be. I think the biggest step they can take is closing off the end zone opposite the scoreboard. That would give it more of a "stadium" feel. With then open end zones it does feel a little more like a West Des Moines Valley feel.

That being said, you still need to be able to sell seats before you consider stadium expansion.

ISU is better than the Walden years, has done a nice job with marketing the program, etc., but even ISU fans will admit you still need to win some games.
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i can't imagine they will be bowling in that stadium any time soon. that place will be pretty empty come 'harvest time'....
 
Having been in a number of stadiums around the country, I don't think Jack Trice has anything to be ashamed of. Have you been to Illinois? Indiana? Purdue? Northwestern? Remember the old days at Minnesota? The game day experience at Trice...and, I have only been there for the Iowa/ISU games, is better than the five I mentioned above IMHO. The tailgating areas are kick a.. And, as a side note, I saw so many tailgating groups with ISU and Hawk fans eating and drinking together and having a great time. I did not have a single "incident" and I had all my Hawk gear on. Yeah, I would tone down the music volume; the corny "its another Cyclone 1st down"; but the ISU band, the student section and their involvement, etc. was very good. If you enclosed the end zone opposite the big scoreboard and maybe filled in the corners on both ends, you would vastly improve the look of the stadium. But, all in good time, I suppose. Just to be clear: There are only two places in the world to really watch football games: Kinnick Stadium and Lambeau Field. The rest of the venues can eat their hearts out.
 
doclee said:
Having been in a number of stadiums around the country, I don't think Jack Trice has anything to be ashamed of. Have you been to Illinois? Indiana? Purdue? Northwestern? Remember the old days at Minnesota? The game day experience at Trice...and, I have only been there for the Iowa/ISU games, is better than the five I mentioned above IMHO. The tailgating areas are kick a.. And, as a side note, I saw so many tailgating groups with ISU and Hawk fans eating and drinking together and having a great time. I did not have a single "incident" and I had all my Hawk gear on. Yeah, I would tone down the music volume; the corny "its another Cyclone 1st down"; but the ISU band, the student section and their involvement, etc. was very good. If you enclosed the end zone opposite the big scoreboard and maybe filled in the corners on both ends, you would vastly improve the look of the stadium. But, all in good time, I suppose. Just to be clear: There are only two places in the world to really watch football games: Kinnick Stadium and Lambeau Field. The rest of the venues can eat their hearts out.
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Illinois is old and the renovation was kind of meh, but that stadium is pretty freaking boss. The legends who played there, the old majestic columns, they don't make 'em like that anymore, hoss. And Northwestern has totally upped its game for fan experiences. The stadium is a dump and they have to bring in porta potties for big games, but they have added a ton of vendors this year and the food selection is markedly better than Kinnick (save for the t-loins at Kinnick). They send a survey after every game looking for ideas, too. Plus, they still play the game on grass, the way it was meant to be played. Oh no, the scoreboard stinks. Whatever, ain't no thang.
 
Overall Jack Trice is a perfect venue for ISU football. Very much in line with the expectations/history of the program. Recent "improvements" to the stadium have at least made gamedays in Ames functional, but it is far from a big time college stadium (especially with grass "seats")
 
HawkeyeShane said:
Iowa State football is akin to Iowa Basketball when it let Tom Davis go...yeah, you wanted to take the "next step" when you got rid of Mac, but the next step can be a slippery mo-fo and leave you in a pile at the bottom of the conference stairwell...is Rhoads their "Football Fran"? I think so...it's just taking longer and they better hope he's not their Stevie Boy following their Chizliter because that'll leave them still looking for a Fran...which won't help get Jack Trice renovated despite this year's ticket sales.

If I lost anyone with that analogy, tough crap...we lost power this morning so I was late getting some coffee in me! :mad:
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You lost me with that analogy. Could you retype it a little slower? Thanks brah.

I think Rhoads is their "Football Bob Commings": a loyal alumnus returns to coach, bringing consistent mediocrity, with a couple shockers over ranked teams to keep (false) hopes alive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Commings
 
Heard one of the city guys say around 40k people came just to tailgate with no intention of going to the game. I got offered $250 for each of my tix by a hawkeye fan looking to get in and I seriously considered it. If I wasn't the only one that happened to then it makes sense why a lot of hawks got into the game. I have been to several Cy-Hawk games in JTS and actually thought this was one of the lower Hawk fan turnouts I had seen. One of the worst gameday atmospheres I have seen in JTS in Rhoad's tenure next to the OSU game in 2009. As of right now I don't think you could find any ISU fan that has any confidence that this offense can score maybe more than 1 fluke of a meaningful TD in a game.
 
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