Wrigley Fan Experience

[NorthKCHawk]

At the risk of alienating those who are not in the mood for anything positive about Iowa football right now, let me offer that attending the game this past weekend was a Top 5 Iowa football experience for a guy who has been an Iowa fan for 49 years. It was easily 5-1 Iowa fans. Everyone was loud and it was absolutely a home game atmosphere. Just walking up to Wrigley it was all Black and Gold. "Let's Go Hawks!" was cheered all day.

The closest experience was Indy 2015, where again, it was 3-1 Iowa fans to MSU fans. So cool.

I know KF complained about the field, and I get it. But, the 2 foot deep hole in the ground only added to what was already a very weird football experience. It almost felt like a well-attended high school game, but with beer.

In any event, I am very proud of the Iowa fans that packed Wrigley and I believe helped nudge Iowa to a win. Hawkeye fans travel and love their team. Not every program can say that. Go Hawks.

 

[dagdaj]

At the risk of alienating those who are not in the mood for anything positive about Iowa football right now, let me offer that attending the game this past weekend was a Top 5 Iowa football experience for a guy who has been an Iowa fan for 49 years. It was easily 5-1 Iowa fans. Everyone was loud and it was absolutely a home game atmosphere. Just walking up to Wrigley it was all Black and Gold. "Let's Go Hawks!" was cheered all day.

The closest experience was Indy 2015, where again, it was 3-1 Iowa fans to MSU fans. So cool.

I know KF complained about the field, and I get it. But, the 2 foot deep hole in the ground only added to what was already a very weird football experience. It almost felt like a well-attended high school game, but with beer.

In any event, I am very proud of the Iowa fans that packed Wrigley and I believe helped nudge Iowa to a win. Hawkeye fans travel and love their team. Not every program can say that. Go Hawks.

To be fair....I'm betting a ton of those Iowa fans didn't exactly "travel"....unless you consider coming in from Oak Park or Downer's Grove as "travelling". I mean, Iowa City is the westernmost suburb of Chicago.

 

[Zamboni08]

To be fair....I'm betting a ton of those Iowa fans didn't exactly "travel"....unless you consider coming in from Oak Park or Downer's Grove as "travelling". I mean, Iowa City is the westernmost suburb of Chicago.

There are 6 'official' Iowa bars here pushed by the alumni association, as well as a handful of 'nonofficial.' They are always packed on game days. There's a TON of Hawks in this city already!

BUT kudos to those of you who traveled....Wrigley, and Wrigleyville, were absolutely ROCKING!

Murphy's said they sold more beer on Saturday than in their history. That is just....STAGGERING...

 

[InGoodCo]

Sounds like it was a great fan experience but a terrible experience from the coaches and staff.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

I actually ran into a college buddy who lived in Arizona, a high school buddy who lives just outside Chicago, a friend from Denver, a friend from Okoboji, and I came from Omaha. My flight to and from Midway was half Iowa fans as well. I am sure most of the fans were local, but that place was packed with Hawk fans from all over.

 

[guffus]

I am confused. I thought I heard there were no beer sales at Wrigley. Or was all the beer bought at the local bars?

 

[Hawkfnntn]

At the risk of alienating those who are not in the mood for anything positive about Iowa football right now, let me offer that attending the game this past weekend was a Top 5 Iowa football experience for a guy who has been an Iowa fan for 49 years. It was easily 5-1 Iowa fans. Everyone was loud and it was absolutely a home game atmosphere. Just walking up to Wrigley it was all Black and Gold. "Let's Go Hawks!" was cheered all day.

The closest experience was Indy 2015, where again, it was 3-1 Iowa fans to MSU fans. So cool.

I know KF complained about the field, and I get it. But, the 2 foot deep hole in the ground only added to what was already a very weird football experience. It almost felt like a well-attended high school game, but with beer.

In any event, I am very proud of the Iowa fans that packed Wrigley and I believe helped nudge Iowa to a win. Hawkeye fans travel and love their team. Not every program can say that. Go Hawks.

This is is why it happened... They knew Iowa fans would do exactly that and Wrigglyville knows how to show folks a good time. It was smart marketing by whomever all was involved. Northwestern wasn't going to do that against Nebraska or anyone else. Glad ya had fun.

Just wish the field was a priority... That's embarrassing frankly. The coaches and players are probably all pretty irked about it.

 

[InGoodCo]

This is is why it happened... They knew Iowa fans would do exactly that and Wrigglyville knows how to show folks a good time. It was smart marketing by whomever all was involved. Northwestern wasn't going to do that against Nebraska or anyone else. Glad ya had fun.

Just wish the field was a priority... That's embarrassing frankly. The coaches and players are probably all pretty irked about it.

Kirk all but said in the post - sounds like the facilities are pretty shitty as well as just the logistics of bringing a team down in that area of town, transporting them, getting them in and out etc....not the greatest....along with the field being not in great shape nor big enough to hold a football game. Total fan fare...but ya know, sometimes Iowa has to do that kind of thing whether old Capt likes it or not.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

I am confused. I thought I heard there were no beer sales at Wrigley. Or was all the beer bought at the local bars?

There was plenty of beer sales at the stadium. I did my part to aid the local economy. An email went out on prohibited items and it said alcohol, but they just meant you could not bring it in. There was plenty of lubrication for the Iowa faithful.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Kirk all but said in the post - sounds like the facilities are pretty shitty as well as just the logistics of bringing a team down in that area of town, transporting them, getting them in and out etc....not the greatest....along with the field being not in great shape nor big enough to hold a football game. Total fan fare...but ya know, sometimes Iowa has to do that kind of thing whether old Capt likes it or not.

Wrigley is in a terrible part of town to get to and from and I am sure that a baseball locker room is about half the size of a football locker room. They had to lay a lot of new turf to get a football field in there, so no shock it failed in the scrum. But, they had the players protected from the brick walls and the set up was otherwise just fine. It was weird, but fine.

KF could have acknowledged one thing. By NW doing it this way Iowa basically got another home game. No way that same crowd shows up in Evanston. And, that home crowd was a factor in the game. Hell, Wilbon even said during the "7th inning stretch" that they were badly outnumbered. Quit whining about the field and find some fucking offense, Kirk.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Kirk all but said in the post - sounds like the facilities are pretty shitty as well as just the logistics of bringing a team down in that area of town, transporting them, getting them in and out etc....not the greatest....along with the field being not in great shape nor big enough to hold a football game. Total fan fare...but ya know, sometimes Iowa has to do that kind of thing whether old Capt likes it or not.

Yeah it's one thing to make things a little uncomfortable logistically and have things out of the norm. It's another to have an unsafe playing surface. That just shouldn't be tolerated at all. That stupid pinstripe bowl in Yankee Stadium just shouldn't even be a thing. Schools really should just refuse to play in it.

 

[NCHawker]

where on the baseball field was the divot? 3rd base line? warning track? never figured that out

 

[NorthKCHawk]

where on the baseball field was the divot? 3rd base line? warning track? never figured that out

It was in front of the endzone on the 3rd base side. My guess is that they had to lay fresh turf down in that area to cover up the dirt parts of the infield. The right field endzone was established turf that was outfield grass all year. It held up. So, the field failed about where you would expect it to fail. It happens on grass fields everywhere, but this was pretty bad.

 

[haydensly]

where on the baseball field was the divot? 3rd base line? warning track? never figured that out

I believe they said during the game that it was over one of the dugouts but I can't remember which one. Said that it took them a month to prepare the field for football. It sounded as if they had to lay dirt and sod right over where that dugout is.

I'm glad it was a great experience but I given the field conditions, I hope Iowa would politely decline if they got another invitation. Or any other team, for that matter. Field conditions were ridiculous and with all of the money in college football today, they should not have to play on a field like that.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

It was in front of the endzone on the 3rd base side. My guess is that they had to lay fresh turf down in that area to cover up the dirt parts of the infield. The right field endzone was established turf that was outfield grass all year. It held up. So, the field failed about where you would expect it to fail. It happens on grass fields everywhere, but this was pretty bad.

Yes, I can understand how it failed. It was pretty much a layer of sod covering the infield it sounds. There was not anchoring with roots so you can see how it happened with 300 lb men pushing on and leveraging against it. Why don't they just put the entire field dimension in the outfield from L field to R field?

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Yes, I can understand how it failed. It was pretty much a layer of sod covering the infield it sounds. There was not anchoring with roots so you can see how it happened with 300 lb men pushing on and leveraging against it. Why don't they just put the entire field dimension in the outfield from L field to R field?

The outfield is not nearly big enough. Remember the old days when the Raiders and others shared baseball stadiums? Back then they just made them play on the infield dirt until baseball season was over. Imagine trying that today with the modern day prima donna?

They did the best that they could, but its hard to make turf stick after only a few weeks and no plug system.

I know a lot of folks say to stop doing this, but you could say the same thing about wrestling, volleyball, or WBB being played outdoor at the football stadium. Is it ideal conditions? No, but is it an amazing memory for the fans and the athletes to say they watch Clark play in Kinnick or Iowa play in Wrigley.

And come on, if a big divot in the field was sooooo dangerous, then why do we make guys play in heavy rain, or snow, or play on astro turf? Would you rather the field give in a couple places or play in 8 inches of snow????? Both teams played on the same field. We have all seen worse field conditions than what we saw Saturday. If NW wants to give Iowa an extra home game every other year, I would go back to Wrigley in a heartbeat.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

The outfield is not nearly big enough. Remember the old days when the Raiders and others shared baseball stadiums? Back then they just made them play on the infield dirt until baseball season was over. Imagine trying that today with the modern day prima donna?

They did the best that they could, but its hard to make turf stick after only a few weeks and no plug system.

I know a lot of folks say to stop doing this, but you could say the same thing about wrestling, volleyball, or WBB being played outdoor at the football stadium. Is it ideal conditions? No, but is it an amazing memory for the fans and the athletes to say they watch Clark play in Kinnick or Iowa play in Wrigley.

And come on, if a big divot in the field was sooooo dangerous, then why do we make guys play in heavy rain, or snow, or play on astro turf? Would you rather the field give in a couple places or play in 8 inches of snow????? Both teams played on the same field. We have all seen worse field conditions than what we saw Saturday. If NW wants to give Iowa an extra home game every other year, I would go back to Wrigley in a heartbeat.

I do remember those stadiums and there were a number of them. I think the Chargers did that to. It was before dedicated stadiums and fields for every sport evolved. They were multi-use stadiums to house the city's pro sports, namely football and baseball.

It's hard to believe that a football field would not be able to fit width wise in a MLB outfield, but I wondered that when I typed it. I figured the response was going to be it wouldn't .

 

[Will C]

The Big should not have allowed the Wrigley game. NW has a stadium and there is Soldier Field as well.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

The Big should not have allowed the Wrigley game. NW has a stadium and there is Soldier Field as well.

Disagree. And folks are really, really missing the point. They did not schedule the game in Wrigley because the sandlot down the road was under repair. Its Wrigley!!!!

Do you grinches think that MLB should stop playing baseball games in the middle of a cornfield in Iowa? There is a better baseball stadium down the road in Des Moines, why not play it there? Because its the god damn Field of Dreams. That's why.

We have seen outdoor hockey games in NHL and college, outdoor basketball games in Kinnick, men's BB games on an air craft carrier, Nebbie sold out their stadium for WVB, Iowa wrestling in Kinnick, etc.

Love creative venues in sports. It was no more dangerous for the players than playing in a snowstorm or a monsoon.

 

[CP87]

The outfield is not nearly big enough. Remember the old days when the Raiders and others shared baseball stadiums? Back then they just made them play on the infield dirt until baseball season was over. Imagine trying that today with the modern day prima donna?

I totally forgot that was a thing, but now that you mention it, I think I remember watching 49ers games on the infield dirt. I tried to find pictures, but this was the best I could find: