Kinnick Stadium has been the thunderous heart of Hawkeye football since October 5, 1929, and it’s one of the few college venues where a single quarter-break tradition — the Hawkeye Wave — can bring 69,000 people to tears. Whether you’re planning your first trip to Iowa City or just trying to settle the capacity-and-seating debate before kickoff, this guide covers everything the stadium’s official pages spread across a dozen tabs.
Below you’ll find the history behind the Kinnick name and Duke Slater Field, a real seating breakdown for picking seats, the current bag policy and gate times, how parking and tailgating actually work on game day, and where to buy tickets straight from the University of Iowa.
Quick Answer
Kinnick Stadium is the 69,250-seat home of Iowa Hawkeyes football in Iowa City, Iowa, open since October 5, 1929 and renamed for Nile Kinnick in 1972. Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff, the stadium runs a clear-bag policy, parking and concessions are cashless, and the Hawkeye Wave happens at the end of every first quarter. Tickets and the official game-day schedule are sold through hawkeyesports.com.
History: From Iowa Stadium to Kinnick
The stadium opened as Iowa Stadium on October 5, 1929, built in about seven months for roughly $497,000 and seating 53,000 fans for its first game, a 46-0 win over Monmouth. In 1972, the university renamed it Kinnick Stadium to honor Nile Kinnick, the Hawkeye halfback who won the 1939 Heisman Trophy and was killed in 1943 while serving as a U.S. Navy pilot in World War II; his No. 24 is retired.
The playing surface has gone grass-to-turf-to-grass-to-turf over the decades: natural grass through 1971, AstroTurf from 1972-1988, grass again from 1989-2008, and FieldTurf since 2009 (refreshed before the 2017 and 2019 seasons). In 2021, Iowa named the field Duke Slater Field, honoring the two-way lineman who was a two-time All-American at Iowa in the 1920s and a College Football Hall of Fame member. Two major projects reshaped the building: a roughly $90 million south end zone and press box restoration completed in 2006, and the $89.9 million ‘Kinnick Edge’ north end zone project completed in 2019, which added premium club seating and trimmed overall capacity slightly to today’s 69,250.
Capacity and Seating Chart: Where to Sit
At 69,250 seats, Kinnick Stadium is the 28th-largest college-owned stadium in the country, according to Iowa’s own athletics department, and sits in the middle of the pack among the Big Ten’s 18 stadiums. The bowl stacks 79 rows high on each side and includes roughly 20 miles of bleacher seating, which is part of why sound carries so well on big plays.
For the best sightline at midfield, look at section 127 on the Hawkeye sideline (west side) or section 105 on the visitor side — rows 15-35 in sections 124-129 put you at midfield, high enough to see over the sideline and low enough to feel the hits. Budget-conscious fans do well in the corner sections, which offer the best price-to-view ratio. One weather note worth knowing before you buy: the visitor (east) sideline, sections 101-110, gets full sun with no overhang cover, while rows 60 and up in sections 123-130 on the Iowa side offer the most shade.
The Hawkeye Wave: A Kinnick Tradition
The Hawkeye Wave started in 2017, the season after the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital opened across the street from the stadium. Fan Krista Young saw a photo of a child watching a game from a hospital window and pushed for the entire stadium — players, coaches, staff and fans on both sides — to turn and wave toward the hospital’s 12th floor at the end of the first quarter. It’s now one of the most imitated traditions in college football, with visiting fan bases regularly joining in.
Kinnick Stadium Gameday Guide: Bag Policy, Gates and Entry
Kinnick runs a clear-bag policy: you may carry a clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″, a clutch bag no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″, or a one-gallon clear plastic (Ziploc-style) bag. Backpacks, purses, handbags, cinch bags, and backpack-style hydration packs like CamelBaks are not allowed, and all bags are searched at the gate. An empty, refillable water bottle (one, under one gallon) is permitted.
Stadium gates open 90 minutes before kickoff, students get into Gate B 100 minutes before kickoff, and Premium Club doors open two hours out. There’s no exit-and-return once you’re in, including from Krause Family Plaza and premium areas, so plan bathroom and bag-drop stops before you go through the gate. Two hours before kickoff, the Hawk Walk sends the team past fans and Nile Kinnick’s statue on the way into the stadium, and the Tigerhawk Beer Garden in Krause Family Plaza typically opens several hours before game time. Game-day payments are cashless — concessions and parking take credit or debit cards only — and mobile tickets using NFC technology are standard for entry.
Planning Your Visit: Tickets and Parking
Single-game and season tickets are sold directly by the university rather than through a box office window, and pricing is tiered by seat location — expect sideline and club seats to carry the highest prices and end-zone or upper-corner seats to be the most affordable. Single-game tickets for each season typically go on sale in waves (donors first, then the general public) in mid-summer, with the exact dates, prices, and any resale restrictions published closer to kickoff. For current prices, the on-sale calendar, and the official seating map, check the official Iowa Hawkeyes football tickets page and the official football gameday guide.
Parking follows the same cashless rule as everything else inside the gates. UI Athletics-managed lots typically open several hours before kickoff, with marquee lots (Finkbine Golf Course, Lower Finkbine, Softball) running a flat per-car rate and a higher RV rate, while a few lots (Hancher, Hawkeye Commuter, Hall of Fame) are free and served by shuttle buses. ADA parking is available in limited supply near the stadium. Because exact rates and lot assignments shift from season to season, confirm current prices and maps on the official Kinnick Stadium parking maps page before you drive in.
Tailgating Rules at Kinnick Stadium
Tailgating is a full-day tradition in the University of Iowa’s own parking lots and along nearby Melrose Avenue. Beer and wine are allowed in UI lots; hard liquor is not, and open containers can’t be carried on public sidewalks or streets leading onto campus property. Propane and charcoal grills are fine in open-air lots (one 20 lb. propane cylinder per device) but are barred inside parking ramps, and wood fires aren’t permitted anywhere. Tent owners are responsible for securing their own setups and for any damage they cause. Drones and other remote-controlled aircraft are prohibited within three miles and up to 3,000 feet above the stadium on game days.
Photos
A see-through purse that looks like a purse. Works for most stadium, arena and concert bag policies.
Bleachers for three hours, but with back support. Folds flat and clips to the bench.
For upper-deck seats. Watch line play at the stadium, or the far side of the park from the top of a lift hill.
Kinnick Stadium FAQs
How many people does Kinnick Stadium hold?
Kinnick Stadium’s current capacity is 69,250, making it the 28th-largest college-owned stadium in the nation. It opened in 1929 with 53,000 seats and grew through several expansions before the 2016-2019 renovation trimmed it slightly to today’s figure.
What time do gates open at Kinnick Stadium?
Stadium gates generally open 90 minutes before kickoff. Students can enter Gate B 100 minutes before kickoff, and Premium Club doors open two hours before kickoff. Exact gate assignments and plaza opening times are confirmed game-by-game on the official gameday page.
What is the Kinnick Stadium bag policy?
Kinnick allows a clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″, a clutch bag up to 4.5″ x 6.5″, or a one-gallon clear plastic bag. Backpacks, purses, handbags, and hydration packs like CamelBaks are not permitted, and every bag is searched at the gate.
When does the Hawkeye Wave happen?
The Hawkeye Wave happens at the end of the first quarter of every Iowa home game, when players, coaches, and the entire stadium turn to wave toward the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital across the street. It started in 2017 and has since been copied by fan bases across the country.
Is Kinnick Stadium cashless?
Yes. Concession stands, merchandise stands, and game-day parking at Kinnick Stadium all accept credit or debit cards only — cash is not accepted anywhere inside the gates or in UI-managed lots.
Why is the field called Duke Slater Field?
The playing surface at Kinnick Stadium was named Duke Slater Field in 2021 in honor of Frederick ‘Duke’ Slater, a two-time All-American offensive lineman at Iowa in the 1920s and a College Football Hall of Fame inductee, who was also one of the first Black players in both college and professional football.
Where do I buy Kinnick Stadium tickets?
Tickets are sold directly by the University of Iowa through the official Iowa Hawkeyes athletics site, which also lists the current season-ticket and single-game on-sale dates and the official seating chart.
Can you bring in outside food or drinks at Kinnick Stadium?
Outside food and drinks generally aren’t permitted past the gates, aside from an empty, refillable water bottle under one gallon. Tailgating with your own food, grills, beer, and wine is allowed in UI parking lots before the game, but hard liquor and open containers on public streets are prohibited.
Get More from Kinnick Stadium
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Kinnick Stadium, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Want the day’s theme park news in your inbox? Subscribe to ThrillZing Daily — free.