April 10, 2012
IOWA CITY, Iowa – – The University of Iowa will hold its annual Iowa Football Spring Practice, presented by Coke Zero, this Saturday. The team practice and scrimmage will begin at noon inside Kinnick Stadium. Gates open at 11 a.m. for the session that is expected to last approximately two hours and will include a “controlled scrimmage” near its conclusion.
The Hawkeye Sports Network will be on the air from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, with Gary Dolphin and Ed Podolak calling the action and discussing spring football. Stations carrying the broadcast include WMT-AM (600) Cedar Rapids, WHO-AM (1040) Des Moines, KROS-AM (1340) Clinton), KKFD-FM (95.9) Fairfield, KOKX-FM (95.3) and WCEZ-FM (93.9) Keokuk and KIHK-FM (106.9) Sioux Center.
In addition, the practice session will be streamed live on bigtennetwork.com. BTN will broadcast the practice on a tape-delayed basis (date and time, TBA), with Brent Balbinot and former Hawkeye Julian Vandervelde calling the action. Highlights can be seen Saturday evening on the BTN’s Spring Football Report (7 p.m. CT).
There is no admission charge. Fans are invited to join forces with the UI Athletics Department, the Iowa Farm Bureau, and UI Dance Marathon on the first annual ANF Food Bank Drive. Fans are invited to bring non-perishable food items with them to the annual open practice or to make a cash donation. To encourage donations, the first 1,000 fans who make a donation of cash or canned food items will receive souvenir ANF items. Collection trucks will be located near the Krause Family Plaza and in Lot 43 west of Kinnick Stadium.
The west and south grandstands will be open for spectators. Gates A, B and E will open at 11 a.m. Regular season game-day search procedures will be in place. There is no autograph session following the practice.
Parking will be limited to immediately next to Kinnick Stadium because of on-going construction projects. Fans are encouraged to park in the lots south and east of Carver-Hawkeye Arena and the Finkbine Commuter lot. Parking will be free in hard surface lots. Parking ramps will charge the normal rate of .85 for the first hour and $1.00 for each additional hour. RV’s will be permitted to park in lot 75 south of Carver-Hawkeye Arena, but will not be allowed in Lot 43 west and north of Kinnick Stadium.
Pre-event activities will be held from 10 a.m. to noon in Krause Family Plaza at the south end of Kinnick Stadium. Events and dis plays will be on-going throughout the morning, including the opportunity to vote on the new design of the Cy-Hawk Trophy. Roster cards for the practice will be available in Krause Family Plaza, along with schedule cards and schedule posters for the 2012 season.
Herky’s Locker Room will hold its annual clearance sale at Kinnick Stadium, from 8 a.m. until the conclusion of practice. A full line of merchandise will be available at half price. Entrance to the sale will be at Gate M on the southeast side of Kinnick Stadium. In addition, Herky’s Locker Room will have a trailer located at the Krause Family Plaza.
Fans are reminded that alcohol consumption is not permitted. The possession of an open container of beer or wine, or the consumption of hard liquor on University property, including parking lots and ramps, is prohibited by law. Law enforcement officers may issue citations.
Fans of the Iowa Hawkeyes who were general public and/or UI faculty/staff season ticket holders a year ago are reminded that the priority deadline to order their 2012 season tickets is Friday, April 27. Fans should note that away game ticket orders must also be submitted by April 27, which is an earlier deadline than in past years.
Fans of the Hawkeyes who did not purchase general public and/or UI faculty/staff seasons tickets a year ago but are interested in purchasing tickets for the 2012 season should note that the UI Athletics Ticket Office is currently accepting requests for new season ticket holders and that the supply of season tickets available for purchase is limited. Requests must be made online at hawkeyesports.com and should be submitted by April 27.
The UI Athletics Ticket Office is currently accepting orders for 2012 UI student season tickets from current UI students. Students must place their order online and can do so at hawkeyesports.com. UI students have the option to purchase either a six or seven game package for the upcoming football season, as the home contest with Nebraska falls on a UI holiday weekend (Friday, Nov. 23). Students ordering their 2012 UI football season tickets will also have the opportunity to order their 2012-13 men’s basketball season ticket this spring.
Current UI students are encouraged to place their 2012 UI football and 2012-13 UI men’s basketball season ticket orders by Friday, May 11. UI students must also order tickets for the Sept. 1 football game vs. Northern Illinois, at Chicago’s Soldier Field, by Friday, April 27.
Questions concerning the purchase of general public, UI faculty/staff and UI student seasons tickets by current UI students should be directed to the UI Athletics Ticket Office. The office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office telephone number is 1-800-IA-HAWKS.
Iowa opens the 2012 football season Sept. 1, facing Northern Illinois at Soldier Field in Chicago. The Hawkeyes then host consecutive home games against Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Central Michigan and Minnesota.