Talk Hawkeyes

As I’ve mentioned about a million times, I have had season tickets at Iowa for abotu 18 years. I happen to live about 4 hours from the stadium, so it is a bit of a hike to get up there for the games. An all day event in fact. For some reason, I’ve been wondering recently about whether I want to keep my season ticket.

Here’s the discussion I’ve been having with myself:

• Season Ticket Perks
• Get to spend time with my dad, sister and uncle.
• The games are very exciting when you are sitting in the front row screaming as loudly as you can.
• It is nice to get a fun day away from all responsibility 6 or 7 times a year.
• I get the option of buying bowl game tickets.
• Season Ticket Drags
• The commute is much longer than the actual game
• The tickets cost about $100 when the “donation” to the school is factored in and that doesn’t include gas/food/hats when I forget them at home.
• Eats up a big portion of the weekend.
• Don’t get to watch the games with the kids
• TV Perks
• Get to watch the games with the kids.
• Much, much cheaper.
• Don’t have to wait as long in line for the bathroom.
• Don’t eat nearly as much junk food all day.

I was a Hawkeye fan long before we had season tickets. I became a Hawkeye fan by listening to the games on the radio and catching them on occasion on TV. I always watched/listened to them with my dad. Before we got the tickets, we started going to about one game a season with a lot of those games being when Iowa went to Northwestern since Northwestern is much closer.

If I am away at so many games, my kids won’t get that bonding experience and the tradition won’t be established. The kids (they are only 3) watched the Syracuse game on TV with me a couple weeks back. They enjoyed watching me and my dad get excited. They enjoyed nibbling on the chips. They enjoyed wearing their Hawkeye t-shirts and shouting “Hawkeyes!”

I haven’t made my commitment yet, but I am definitely considering giving up my season tickets in a year or so and maybe just upgrading our cable so I can order the Iowa games that aren’t on regular TV and then taking them to a game or two every year. Between Northwestern, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin, I could let them see quite a few different stadiums. Northwestern would probably be the best since the fans are so close to comatose. It is the least intimidating place to watch a road game that I have ever been to. Perfect for young kids.