A game at Kinnick Stadium is a great experience, but there are a few things you should know about before you arrive.
One thing is that all Hawkeye players enter through the south gates and touch Nile Kinnick’s statue for good luck. Learn more by clicking here.
Kinnick also has bench-style seating, so it is easy to stretch out and watch the game.
The History
With a capacity of nearly 70,000, Kinnick Stadium is the game-day home for University of Iowa Hawkeyes football. The revered venue has become a fixture on college football Saturdays since its opening in 1929.
Originally named Iowa Stadium, it was renamed for Heisman Trophy winner and 1939 All-American Nile Kinnick in 1972. A statue of Kinnick, who died in a World War II training flight, is featured outside the south end zone.
Construction on the iconic venue began in March 1928 and was completed in just seven months. Athletes and fans have been flocking to Kinnick Stadium each fall since. Before the 2019 season, a two-year renovation project called Kinnick Edge brought enhanced amenities and more space for fans to enjoy. The north end zone features a bronze relief sculpted by artist Brett Gill of fullback Gordon Locke and lineman Duke Slater scoring the touchdown that beat Knute Rockne’s Notre Dame team in 1920.
The Atmosphere
The Hawkeye football atmosphere at Kinnick Stadium is one of the best in college football. The fans are knowledgeable and boisterous. They love their team and cheer on the Hawkeyes to victory. The band is excellent and the whole experience makes for a great time.
Tailgating starts early in lots around the stadium and is fun. The smell of grills and the sound of fans hooting and hollering is enough to get anyone in the mood for some football.
In a recent fan survey, 93.4 percent of Iowa fans either enjoyed or did not mind the alcohol sales at Kinnick Stadium and Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Those numbers are high compared to most of the Big Ten’s stadiums. This unique place is a must-see!
The Seating
The Hawkeyes play home games at Kinnick Stadium, which seats 69,250 fans. The stadium is one of the best college football venues in the country, and it’s filled each Saturday during the fall.
The stadium is named after former Iowa football player and Heisman winner Nile Kinnick, and the University dedicated a 14-foot bronze statue of him in front of the venue. Before the national anthem, the stadium screens footage of Kinnick’s Heisman speech from 1939, which is an impressive tribute to Iowa’s only Heisman winner and a beloved part of the campus culture.
The stadium offers a variety of seating options, from the standard bleachers to premium seating in the Hawkeye Hospitality Suites, Mediacom Outdoor Club, and McCord Indoor Club. All premium seat tickets include reserved parking, private bathrooms, and catering. Cell phone use is permitted in the stadium, but it can be spotty due to the high volume of fans congregating nearby.
The Traditions
A game at Kinnick is about more than just a football match-up. Students and fans alike have established traditions at the stadium that bear Nile Kinnick’s name. One of the most heartwarming involves a new tradition that was started in 2017 during which fans and players turn to wave at pediatric patients inside the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, which overlooks Kinnick Stadium.
There are plenty of other Hawkeye traditions at Kinnick, too. After the team’s buses pull up, players touch a statue of Kinnick before entering the stadium for games. Another popular pregame ritual is a visit to the Krause Family Plaza, which features food trucks and a large tent with Iowa merchandise.
Another fan favorite is the wave, in which a long line of fans clap and cheer while chanting “IOWA!” and waving their arms around. For many, this is the best part of a game at Kinnick. It’s a true crowd-pleaser that’s sure to get the whole stadium fired up for the contest ahead. Definitely worth checking out!
Driving directions from Paneless Window Cleaning LLC. to Kinnick Stadium
Driving directions from Kinnick Stadium to Carver-Hawkeye Arena
