Monday's Statements Were A Sign To Prepare For A Different 2020 Season
Back-to-back press releases from Iowa on Monday concerning the 2020 college football season should have been enough to set off some alarms.
The athletic department announced in the morning that sales of season tickets were going to be paused, as well as the sales of the various ticket packages for the season. This was to prepare for possible Kinnick Stadium capacity guidelines and social distancing guidelines for the season as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
That afternoon, it was announced that there were nine more positive tests within the athletic department, bringing the number of positives since the reopening of the athletic facilities to 12.
Neither announcement was a surprise.
Iowa athletics director Gary Barta has been constantly repeating the wish that Kinnick be filled this season, that anybody who buys an available ticket can get in.
It's a nice wish, but it was hard to see that happening a few weeks ago when he said it and it's becoming more difficult to see that now. The coronavirus is not going away, and the idea of 65,000 in Kinnick for a football game just doesn't seem feasible, or prudent.
Approximately 40,000 season tickets to the public, students and faculty have been sold. By cutting off sales now, it's the best guarantee that all who have purchased tickets can see the games this season. It also gives a better base to start from if there have to be cuts and refunds to those who have purchased tickets in case there is a significant limit on the number of fans who can be at a game.
The number of positive coronavirus tests also wasn't a surprise. Barta said in the spring that they expected positives, and everything that could be done to limit the spread of the virus would be done.
There likely will be more positives in the coming weeks. A massive spike in cases could lead to a halt of voluntary workouts. It's happened at other schools around the nation.
It is best to prepare yourself for what comes next.
Prepare for what the game-day experience will be like. There won't be a Hawkeye Express train to carry fans to and from the game. Expect some sort of limitation on the number of fans tailgating in university and public lots, and there could even be a ban on tailgating in those spots as well.
The number of entries and exits at Kinnick Stadium could be limited. You may have your temperature taken upon arrival at the stadium. Wearing a mask will certainly be suggested, and may be mandatory.
The schedule could look different. Ten games, conference only? Ten games, with only one nonconference game? Games in the spring? Again, anything is possible.
Time is slowly running out on these decisions. Barta said of ticketing plans in Monday's statement: "We anticipate finalizing this by late July and will share with our fans."
The best advice is to be prepared for anything. If you haven't figured out that the 2020 season won't be like the past, Monday's statements provided clues that change is coming.
