Iowa begins 2016 football season ticket process

IOWA CITY — Much was made of the season ticket drop Iowa suffered late last summer going into the 2015 season. The Hawkeyes ended 2014 with a 7-6 record and the blowback was a 17 percent decrease in sales.

Of course, 2015 happened. The Hawkeyes put together their first perfect regular season since 1922 with a school-record 12 wins. Iowa won the Big Ten West Division and finished with losses in the Big Ten championship game and Rose Bowl, Iowa's first trip to Pasadena, Calif., in 25 seasons.

During Iowa's tremendous run, athletics director Gary Barta said he wanted to reward those fans who did stick with the Hawkeyes and buy season tickets in 2015. (Late last June, Iowa revealed that it at that point sold 32,656 season tickets to the general public, which, at that time, was a 17 percent drop from the 39,364 it sold in 2014.)

Iowa announced Monday that season ticket renewals for the 2016 season will cost $405, about a 2.5 percent increase over the $395 the school charged last season. The keyword there is 'renewals.' New or additional season tickets will cost $415 (around a 5 percent increase from 2015, Iowa's biggest bump in the last five years).

'We'll definitely reward every season-ticket holder that stayed with us as we move forward, give them first opportunity, best opportunity, best price point and quickly start going through the process and see if we can sell out season tickets as fast as possible,' Barta said.

In addition to the price break (probably around $100 with seven home games that likely will include four premium games — Iowa State, Wisconsin, Michigan and Nebraska), season ticket holders also earn ticketing priority over the general public for single game, special events and postseason games, which became a big deal when some 40,000 Iowa fans swarmed Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the B1G title game.

The deadline for renewing season tickets and to request new or additional tickets is April 15. Fans can apply for tickets at hawkeyesports.com/tickets.

According to the UI release, all renewal and new season ticket holders will be provided an opportunity to upgrade and/or select their seating locations based on availability and will receive selection dates and times in April. This process will be based on priority point totals and I-Club annual gift membership levels.

I-Club contributions, which fulfill regular and postseason seating and parking requirements, can be made at jointheiclub.com. I-Club gifts made by March 30 will be included in priority points for the 2016 season ticket selection/upgrade process. I-Club contributions must be made by June 30 to ensure proper mailing of season tickets and parking passes. I-Club renewal forms will be emailed on Feb. 16.

Before Monday's announcement, Barta said the increase wouldn't be a big one. 'If we do, it'll probably be based on having an inflationary increase,' he said. 'We didn't increase last year, but it (an increase) won't be anything extraordinary.'

Iowa season ticket prices froze at $388 in 2012-13. They climbed approximately 2 percent for 2014 at $395 and remained $395 after 2015.

The Hawkeyes' 2016 Kinnick Stadium schedule includes seven home games. Iowa's Big Ten home opponents are Northwestern, Wisconsin, Michigan and Nebraska. The Hawkeyes play host to Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 3 and Iowa State and North Dakota State during their non-conference schedule.

Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Michigan each won 10 games last season. North Dakota State won its fifth consecutive FCS national titles. Start times and television information are not yet available.

Additional ticket options, including single-game tickets and group packages, will be available at a later date.

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