Iowa football: Thursday games not likely at Kinnick Stadium
Three Big Ten teams — Ohio State, Minnesota and Indiana — opened the season on Thursday night.
But playing a regular-season game on Thursday night is not something Iowa fans should ever expect to happen at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City.
“I can’t even imagine the parking, and I can’t imagine our fans coming in from all over the state and beyond,” University of Iowa athletics director Gary Barta said. “It’s never been a request that I’ve received, and I don’t anticipate it in the future.”
Kinnick Stadium is historic, but it is also situated right in the heart of Iowa City. The massive University of Iowa hospital borders it on the east, there’s a residential area on the south, and more athletic facilities on the north and west.
“Oh my goodness,” said Paula Jantz, associate athletics director in charge of operations and event management. “It would not work. Our biggest issue would be parking, obviously.”
The lots around Kinnick are used during the week by university staff — from lots right next to Kinnick all the way out to the Finkbine commuter lot, and everything in-between.
On Friday, as soon as people leave work for home, those spaces are reserved for football, and many tailgaters park their vehicles overnight to get prime spots for Saturday.
“It would be difficult for us, if not downright impossible,” Jantz said. “We love Saturdays. It’s perfect for us. It allows those that work, to get to work, and provides nice parking for our contributors and fans.”
The Big Ten doesn’t play any more Thursday night games now that the season has started. The Big Ten hasn’t embraced regular season games on days other than Saturday and Iowa sees it in much the same way.
“We think Hawkeye football is a Saturday occasion and intend to keep it that way if at all possible,” associate athletic director Mark Abbott said. “A home game on any day other than Saturday would cause all kinds of problems. That is a work day at the university.”
Of course, the Big Ten Network is always looking for ways to get more football on. And Iowa opens the 2012 season in Chicago, where parking wouldn’t be Iowa’s problem to worry about.
“I fortunately have never been asked if I would consider playing on a Thursday night,” Barta said. “I don’t think I’d be asked.”
Category: Iowa Hawkeyes Football
