Iowa football season-ticket sales brisk; AD confident about Kinnick night game

IOWA CITY — Iowa officials anticipate a significant jump in football season-ticket numbers when the first round of renewals is complete next week.

The school has received more than 4,000 new season-ticket requests for the 2016 season, quite a reversal from last year's 17 percent drop in ticket sales. April 15 is the final date the school will guarantee existing season-ticket holders the same seat as last year but sales will continue throughout the spring and summer.

'I don't want to guess what the final numbers will be,' Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta said. 'What I know is certainly we've had great success last season. We have an exciting schedule, and we are working hard to make sure when a fan purchases a ticket and comes to the game, they have a great experience.

'We certainly expect Kinnick to be alive and well in the fall.'

Iowa finished 12-2 last year, won the Big Ten West Division title and earned a Rose Bowl bid for the first time in 25 years.

The Hawkeyes' home schedule features games against rivals Iowa State, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Nebraska, plus Michigan and FCS champion North Dakota State. Iowa opens with Miami (Ohio).

Barta said he's 'had a lot of discussions' about hosting night games at Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes had two last year. Big Ten schools competed at night 22 times during the 2015 regular season.

'I feel confident that somewhere in there we'll have a night game or two but nothing until the Big Ten announces,' Barta said.

Last year BTN unveiled its prime-time lineup on April 13, while ESPN/ABC did the same on April 23.

The Big Ten has yet to play post-Thanksgiving November outdoor games in prime-time, and Barta said it's unlikely for Iowa-Nebraska to air at night on Black Friday on Nov. 25. In 2012, Barta said he'd prefer the Hawkeyes play host to Iowa State during the day. That could change this fall.

'I think the more we host night games, the more comfortable we get,' Barta said. 'We don't get to decide unilaterally if we get a night game. That's a television decision. But our fans have responded well, (they) love the night games, that's been clear. That's one of the things we've learned as we've hosted. I'm not going to rule anything out, but that will be a decision that the TV networks will make.'

'I think the Nebraska game is a little bit unique because it has a slot that's been covered and because it's that Thanksgiving Friday. I don't anticipate that one changing.'

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