By DARREN MILLER
hawkeyesports.com
IOWA CITY, Iowa — How ‘bout them cutouts?
The phrase doesn’t roll off the tongue like ‘How ‘bout them Hawkeyes,’ but when it comes to packing Kinnick Stadium in 2020, a majority of “fans” in the stands will be cardboard cutouts. A Big Ten Conference mandate does not allow the general fan base inside stadiums this season, but people can represent themselves in Kinnick Stadium through Hawkeye Fan Cutouts packages.
The University of Iowa Athletics Department is offering four options for purchase. Prices are $35 for students, $50 for season ticket holders and $70 for fans who are not season ticket holders. For $500, fans may purchase a cutout that will be signed by head coach Kirk Ferentz after the season and returned via mail.
“I’m a strong believer that players feed off the high spirits of their fans,” said Hawkeye fan Howard Moon. “During these times, we need to make sure our players understand that though they can’t see or hear us cheering live, we have their backs.”
Moon is recruiting family members to join the cause.
“I have relatives that live on the east and west coast, and now I can tell them that there’s no excuse not to ‘show up’ to a Hawkeye game,” Moon said.
Twenty percent of revenue from the cutouts will go toward University of Iowa Dance Marathon, the remainder of the profits will support University of Iowa student-athletes’ scholarship fund. That news has Elizabeth Jackson, executive director of University of Iowa Dance Marathon, doing her own celebration tango. The pandemic and derecho have been huge obstacles to Dance Marathon fundraising.
“It is invaluable, not just because of the monetary donation, but for the thought and care from Iowa Athletics to consider Dance Marathon,” Jackson said. “At the end of the day, everything we do is for the families and the Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
“Our mission is to do as much as we can for them, but with everything going on, that has been a challenge. This will help us continue to support our mission and stay focused on what we have tried so hard to do this year.”
To purchase a fan cutout, click HERE. You will upload your photograph during the purchase process.
Once you submit the photograph, it will be printed on a 18-inch by 33-inch corrugated plastic and placed in Kinnick Stadium.
Here’s the Hawkeye Fan Cutout Playbook:
- One person per photo. No selfies.
- Your image must fill the entire top section of the cutout with no gaps or spaces or it is likely to be rejected.
- No commercial advertising or messages, including but not limited to company names, apparel brands, hashtags, social media handles, phone numbers, logos, slogans or other branding.
- No alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco or firearms/weapons.
- No additional text is permitted in cutout.
- No political statements, logos, slogans or other political content on clothing.
- No personal identification, such as names, email addresses or street addresses permitted.
- No lewd, inappropriate or offensive photos.
- No arms raised in photos. You may have a football, pompoms, foam finger, etc., but must be contained in the width of the body.
In the event a limited number of spectators can attend games, every effort will be taken to accommodate the cutouts, but may have to remove them based on seat availability.
Kinnick Stadium is the only venue currently taking Hawkeye Fan Cutout orders. Other venues may become available at a later date. Visit the Hawkeye Fan Cutout FAQ for more information.
*Volume discount of $5 of each additional order up to five
