How Kinnick Could Look This Season

Guidelines for social distancing may lead to changes.

How Kinnick Stadium will look during the 2020 college football season will depend on many factors, Iowa athletics director Gary Barta said.

Barta said during Thursday's video conference with the media that how fans have attended Iowa home football games in the past will be different this season during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Barta said his wish is to have as many people as possible attend games as in past year, but realizes that there are scenarios that could limit attendance because of social distancing concerns.

There could be limits on ticket sales. There could be limits on the number of people who will be in the suites at stadium, if the suites are going to be allowed to be open.

Barta said whatever decisions will be made will be guided by recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Big Ten, and state officials.

Barta said whatever decisions will be made will be communicated before the season opener on Sept. 5 against Northern Iowa.

“We’re going to tell our fans what we’ve done, whether it’s entrances, entry ways, whether it’s concessions and how we manage those,” Barta said. “We’ll list all of the things we’ve done. And then we’ll let fans make that personal choice on whether they’re going to come.

“I know how badly I want football to occur this fall. I know how badly (head coach) Kirk (Ferentz) wants it. I know how badly our student-athletes want it. I know how fans want desperately to come back to Kinnick Stadium.”