First game at Kinnick

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wdgold

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Son and I drove down Saturday and had a great 1st experience being in Iowa City. The few Iowa fans we encountered before and after the game were very welcoming. We were in Sec 102 and had a blast with several Gopher fans and the Hawkeye fans as well. Despite the outcome and some RTB trash talk directed our way it was alot of Fun!!


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wdgold said:
Son and I drove down Saturday and had a great 1st experience being in Iowa City. The few Iowa fans we encountered before and after the game were very welcoming. We were in Sec 102 and had a blast with several Gopher fans and the Hawkeye fans as well. Despite the outcome and some RTB trash talk directed our way it was alot of Fun!!
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Also our first time to Kinnick. Pregame atmosphere was great. Had a lot of fun with gopher and Iowa fans, rowed the boat up on my brother’s shoulders for the BTN tailgate. Overall the Iowa fans were very friendly.

The stadium itself is meh.

Their replay person was the worst. If it wasn’t a great Hawkeye play or a possible missed call on us, they didn’t show anything. Lame.
 

CurveballJesus said:
Also our first time to Kinnick. Pregame atmosphere was great. Had a lot of fun with gopher and Iowa fans, rowed the boat up on my brother’s shoulders for the BTN tailgate. Overall the Iowa fans were very friendly.

The stadium itself is meh.

Their replay person was the worst. If it wasn’t a great Hawkeye play or a possible missed call on us, they didn’t show anything. Lame.
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HA ! I caught your Row the Boat act on BTN Tailgate!
 

CurveballJesus said:
Also our first time to Kinnick. Pregame atmosphere was great. Had a lot of fun with gopher and Iowa fans, rowed the boat up on my brother’s shoulders for the BTN tailgate. Overall the Iowa fans were very friendly.

The stadium itself is meh.

Their replay person was the worst. If it wasn’t a great Hawkeye play or a possible missed call on us, they didn’t show anything. Lame.
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That is the case with replays at most stadiums, including our place. I wasn't at Kinnick Stadium this time, have been in the past and definitely thought the Iowa fans were nice in general. There was certainly some banter, but in good fun other than the odd drunk and fake tough guy.
 

I was there before and there again this past weekend. I had forgotten how horrible that stadium is. The seat spacing was built for 100lb men with narrow hips and short legs. The scoreboards are likely the highest in the big-ten and there's no down and distance ribbon or smaller scoreboard anywhere. I couldn't pay for season tickets in that dump if I was a fan. Thankfully, I'll never be a fan and only have a reason to visit every other year.
 


gophernut79 said:
I was there before and there again this past weekend. I had forgotten how horrible that stadium is. The seat spacing was built for 100lb men with narrow hips and short legs. The scoreboards are likely the highest in the big-ten and there's no down and distance ribbon or smaller scoreboard anywhere. I couldn't pay for season tickets in that dump if I was a fan. Thankfully, I'll never be a fan and only have a reason to visit every other year.
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Kinnick is terrible. It's constructed as if a third grader designed it in three different additions with three different sized Lego packages. It's tough to get in and out and maneuver (like a gigantic Williams). Regardless, it's a very good homefield advantage and the bottom rows are literally touching distance from the players.
 

Panthadad2 said:
Kinnick is terrible. It's constructed as if a third grader designed it in three different additions with three different sized Lego packages. It's tough to get in and out and maneuver (like a gigantic Williams). Regardless, it's a very good homefield advantage and the bottom rows are literally touching distance from the players.
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Without a doubt one of the worst stadiums imaginable. Cramped, poor exits, restrooms are in the dungeon(at least on the side of section 101, concessions poor (no beer) and the one thing that is modern (scoreboards/screens) they don't even use effectively. There must have been about a dozen replays the whole game, otherwise it was their cheezy Hawekeye animated graphics the whole game. Sound system was terrible too...couldn't understand anything the refs were saying. Sure makes me appreciate the Bank!
 

Also first time at Kinnick. Can see why its tough place to win as the bleachers are right on top of the field. Sad there was no beer, but understood why as most of the iowa fans didnt need any more liquid courage.
One thing I did like is they didnt have all the stupid endorsements and piped in music but instead let the band lead most of the in between play entertainment which I am a big fan of.

Mostly everyone was welcoming but holy crap do they detest PJ. When he ran onto the field for that penalty there was a lot of NSFW language.
 

First time there as well. Don’t think I had a single poor interaction with an Iowa fan, and the folks in 110 were all Gopher die hards so that was great. That said yes Kinnick is a dump. My family and I generally agreed the only thing Iowa fans do well are drink booze beforehand and scream during the game. Also, I was struck at the dearth of game time traditions for Iowa. Yes, we get that each corner screams a letter for your State. Other than that, it made me appreciate all the things that make Gopher game day special. Hail Minnesota in particular. Plus I’ll take the Pepsi challenge on the Pride of MN vs whatever they’re calling the Iowa band any day.

Oh, and our dance team is first in the nation, so suck it Iowa.




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I was in section 109. Cramped as hell. I didn't leave my seat once. It would have taken 10 minutes just to get to the concourse. Everything was jammed and tight. I am so thankful for TCF.

The Ped Mall was cool though.
 

t-docious said:
Also first time at Kinnick. Can see why its tough place to win as the bleachers are right on top of the field. Sad there was no beer, but understood why as most of the iowa fans didnt need any more liquid courage.
One thing I did like is they didnt have all the stupid endorsements and piped in music but instead let the band lead most of the in between play entertainment which I am a big fan of.

Mostly everyone was welcoming but holy crap do they detest PJ. When he ran onto the field for that penalty there was a lot of NSFW language.
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Except for the "cannon fire" part of the halftime show. We were sitting right below the big video board, and when those got blasted through the PA, I was legitimately worried for anyone who suffered from PTSD.
 

This was my 6th Gopher game at Kinnick, so I'm well aware of how cramped and uncomfortable it can be. I wouldn't want to be a season ticket holder down there, but it's a great place to watch a road game every other season.
 




I've been to Kinnick twice now and agree. It's very cramped, thankfully both times i was there weather was moderate so everyone wasn't bundled up. There are times I've seen people just forgo their seat and stand in back to watch. I'm not sure which is more cramped, Randall or Kinnick, I'm leaning Kinnick

Online Iowa fans-mostly annoying
Iowa Fans coming to MN-annoying
Iowa Fans as hosts-Nice and fun
 

SoMplsHawkI said:
That Wave thing is no big deal.



Because singing 'Sweet Caroline' is soooo original.
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Sorry we hurt your feelings


The wave is pretty cool and we don't sing sweet caroline anymore
 




salzie said:
Most of us have been fairly complimentary.

Congrats on the win
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Agreed. Iowa was the better team on Sat. Bigger and better things ahead for us this year. I just figured with a program on par with MN history-wise, there’d be more to the game day experience. The greeting of opposing team was cool though. We’ll be back in two years for sure.


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salzie said:
I've been to Kinnick twice now and agree. It's very cramped, thankfully both times i was there weather was moderate so everyone wasn't bundled up. There are times I've seen people just forgo their seat and stand in back to watch. I'm not sure which is more cramped, Randall or Kinnick, I'm leaning Kinnick

Online Iowa fans-mostly annoying
Iowa Fans coming to MN-annoying
Iowa Fans as hosts-Nice and fun
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Boy you got that right the hawkeye fans in our section last year were annoying and arrogant. I cant wait till next year and if I see the same ones again I don't think I will be biting my tongue this time.
 

I don't get the complaints against Kinnick itself, thought it to be a top notch venue. Great sight-lines. While bench seating would normally make it pretty cramped, everyone stood the whole game so it was a moot point. I was up in the 71st row so I was lucky that I did not have to venture to the corridor for a restroom break.

Fun atmosphere before the game, parked on some families front yard. They provided soup and a port-a-potty. Good food stands also across the street.
 

Agree that the Iowa fans were very welcoming. Obviously there are a few bad eggs but I was pleasantly surprised by the hospitality and friendliness overall.

The number 1 pleasant surprise of the weekend were the biffies on random corners and in random yards in the tailgate neighborhood. Very practical and extremely helpful to stumble upon while walking to the stadium after a couple 6-10 beers.
 

Sweet Caroline? I think I remember hearing that once or twice over the past 10 years. So ... okay.

Like the others, we were treated very well by Hawkeye fans in front of us and behind us, as well as at the bar after the game.
 

This was my first visit to Kinnick as well. The stadium sucks, for all of the reasons stated - cramped, poor sight lines, terrible routing for entrances and exits, abominable sound system, etc.

The people were cordial for the most part. For a while, I had some skinny twigboy 13-year-old right next to me running his mouth (one of those kids who thinks it's cool to say f*ck every other word, and his mom right behind him let him do it). After they scored their first TD, he got right up in my face yelling, "Skee-U-Mah!!!" I ignored him because, as badly as I would've liked to, I'm not going to beat up a 13-year-old. His mom moved him up next to her and few spots away from me, I think appropriately realizing that things would escalate if she allowed her son sitting next to me to continue.
 

My first trip to Kinnick. Great fans, great tailgate.

I think I'd pass on having tickets if I were a Hawkeye fan. What an absolute Sh*thole stadium. They have 10 seats where there is room for 6. Its horrible. If they removed the bleachers and gave you a normal stadium seat, the capacity would be 40k. Its a small stadium, but when you drop 70k on top of each other it created a decent atmosphere. I'm not sure if I'll be back or not unless its in a suite or the very few seats in the 2nd deck of the north endzone. You can even notice it with the rented seatbacks, they are a legit 5 inches smaller than those at TCF. The leg room is less than half too. I'm glad our stadium was built AFTER WW2.
 

dpodoll68 said:
This was my first visit to Kinnick as well. The stadium sucks, for all of the reasons stated - cramped, poor sight lines, terrible routing for entrances and exits, abominable sound system, etc.

The people were cordial for the most part. For a while, I had some skinny twigboy 13-year-old right next to me running his mouth (one of those kids who thinks it's cool to say f*ck every other word, and his mom right behind him let him do it). After they scored their first TD, he got right up in my face yelling, "Skee-U-Mah!!!" I ignored him because, as badly as I would've liked to, I'm not going to beat up a 13-year-old. His mom moved him up next to her and few spots away from me, I think appropriately realizing that things would escalate if she allowed her son sitting next to me to continue.
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We had an Iowa fan right behind us who was absolutely hilarious, he had me and a gopher gal next to me just laughing our a** off. Kept calling Stanley the QB "Cement shoes Mcgoo" among other things. Sometime fans are more entertaining than the game.
 

I didn't go this year but have been there twice in recent years. Did anyone sit in the new section that just replaced one of the end zone sections? Curious if the seating is any less cramped in the new seats. I don't have much to add. I agree with what others have already said here. I have generally found Iowa fans in their own environment to be okay. The ones that used to come up to the Metrodome were the WORST. They were just drunken idiots - confrontational with beer muscles and beer bellies. Haven't noticed this nearly as much since TCF Bank Stadium opened. Probably due to smaller number of Iowa fans in the stadium and lacking all the courage that came with having 25 thousand other Iowa fans at the Metrodome.
 

1st trip to Kinnick. I don't know about that place. Overrated. All the fans there made it soooo cramped. I almost got a bit claustrophobic because there were people all around me and people all around them! Sure am glad to be back at the Bank in a few weeks against Wisco. It's always nice to have big wide bucket seats open to my left and right so I can stretch out and relax. Places like Michigan, OSU and Iowa that use bench seats to accommodate lots of people have no idea what true comfort is. Also - the Bank has a great skyline and view of the city and a wonderful scoreboard so I can take my mind off the game unlike at Kinnick where the only focus is what's happening on the field. Enough of that noise! They also don't sell beer in the stadium which really sucks. Those clown Hawkeye fans show up 5-7 hours before the game and do all their drinking outside of the stadium tailgating instead of showing up right before kickoff! What a bunch of alcoholics! I love being able to drive right in for a Gopher game and find a parking spot 20 minutes before kickoff. Can't believe those Hawkeye season ticket holders would pay good money to be part of an environment like that where it is always packed and loud. Their "so-called" traditions including waving to kids in a Children's Hospital and spelling I-O-W-A in the four sections of the stadium really loud when they score. No way that touches Spin Your Head or jingling your keys before kickoff. That's tradition! And don't even get me going on the other important stuff like the bathrooms, concessions and sound system!!!

Let's get those Cats!!!! Ski U Mah!
 

I didn't go this year but have been there twice in recent years. Did anyone sit in the new section that just replaced one of the end zone sections? Curious if the seating is any less cramped in the new seats

I sat in the lower corner of the new end zone section (Row 10) fairly close to the Gopher fans in 101, 102. I specifically wanted to be there because I expected there to be more room in the rows, it would be easier to get in and out, and that the restrooms would be better. All three of these things were true, and if they could do it all over again, they probably would have made the south end zone more steep and stacked up vertically, like the north one, had they known better 13 or so years ago.

They sort of had an open concourse, but somehow they built up a some premium seating at the top of the section with frosted glass that mainly blocks a good view of the field.

Also they did a nice job of joining up this new section with the original east/west main concourses, for walking around the stadium. I like Kinnick Stadium more than most of the other Big Ten Stadiums I have been to including Camp Randall.

The Iowa fans always talk about how small TCF is, but in reality Kinnick Stadium is not a very huge structure. TCF is a much larger building, with way more space between the rows. Much of Kinnick is below ground and the benches are just scrunched together. It looks really short from the street, but they did a decent job with the addition of the west suite tower. Other than the crowded field and the lack of any good scoreboard/ down and distance signage, the place looked pretty great in the late afternoon sun.
 

Billy M said:
1st trip to Kinnick. I don't know about that place. Overrated. All the fans there made it soooo cramped. I almost got a bit claustrophobic because there were people all around me and people all around them! Sure am glad to be back at the Bank in a few weeks against Wisco. It's always nice to have big wide bucket seats open to my left and right so I can stretch out and relax. Places like Michigan, OSU and Iowa that use bench seats to accommodate lots of people have no idea what true comfort is. Also - the Bank has a great skyline and view of the city and a wonderful scoreboard so I can take my mind off the game unlike at Kinnick where the only focus is what's happening on the field. Enough of that noise! They also don't sell beer in the stadium which really sucks. Those clown Hawkeye fans show up 5-7 hours before the game and do all their drinking outside of the stadium tailgating instead of showing up right before kickoff! What a bunch of alcoholics! I love being able to drive right in for a Gopher game and find a parking spot 20 minutes before kickoff. Can't believe those Hawkeye season ticket holders would pay good money to be part of an environment like that where it is always packed and loud. Their "so-called" traditions including waving to kids in a Children's Hospital and spelling I-O-W-A in the four sections of the stadium really loud when they score. No way that touches Spin Your Head or jingling your keys before kickoff. That's tradition! And don't even get me going on the other important stuff like the bathrooms, concessions and sound system!!!

Let's get those Cats!!!! Ski U Mah!
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Thank you! Also love the comparisons to TCF, I mean Kinnick opened in 1929 so I'm not sure what to expect 80 years apart. What you lose in comfort you gain in tradition, further illustrated via the names of each respective stadium.

I prefer the old dump. We prefer the old dump. And we're proud of it.
 

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