Masks required, limit of 15,000 fans: Here's Iowa's football plan for Kinnick Stadium games

IOWA CITY, Ia. — Iowa will try to fit 10,000 to 15,000 fans into Kinnick Stadium for its five home football games this fall, athletic director Gary Barta announced Thursday.

In a letter posted on the university's website, Barta included the caveat: "If we play and fans are permitted to attend," another indication of how fluid the situation is. The Hawkeyes just learned their revised Big Ten Conference schedule of 10 games Wednesday morning. They are scheduled to begin summer training camp Friday.

There will be no season tickets this fall, even though Iowa had previously sold about 40,000 of them. The university stopped selling football tickets June 30 when it was evident that the COVID-19 pandemic was going to prevent capacity crowds.

Instead, Barta outlined a plan Thursday that would allow fans to buy tickets in groups of two or four, with at least six feet of distance between those groupings. Parking lots will be open four hours before kickoff, but only half the spots will be used.

No. 23 Iowa is scheduled to host Maryland on Sept. 5 in the season-opener. Other home games are Sept. .26 (Nebraska), Oct. 3 (Northwestern), Oct. 31 (Michigan State) and Nov. 14 (Wisconsin).

Fans who attend will have to wear face coverings "and additional mitigation strategies have been implemented," Barta wrote.

► More Thursday:Iowa City plans to bar Melrose Avenue vendors from setting up outside Kinnick Stadium over COVID-19 concerns

Iowa students will be allowed into their designated sections in a limited capacity, but those details are still being worked out.

All tickets and parking passes will be mobile-only.

The university has not yet set prices for the tickets, but they will vary by location and quality of opponent. Fans will be given the choice of buying the best available seats in a particular section.

Season tickets and per-seat contributions will automatically roll over to 2021, with no action required by those who purchased them. But fans can request a refund of those costs or make a tax-deductible donation. That decision needs to be made by Aug. 14. and can be done by emailing tickets@hawkeyesports.com.

"We appreciate your patience and understanding. While these are significant changes, the health and safety of our fans, student-athletes, coaches and staff remains our top priority," Barta concluded.

Mark Emmert covers the Iowa Hawkeyes for the Register. Reach him at memmert@registermedia.com or 319-339-7367. Follow him on Twitter at @MarkEmmert.

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