Iowa Makes Changes to Hawkeye Football Game-Days

Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta has announced that fans attending Iowa's home football games this season will have more tailgating time afterwards.

Fans will now be allowed to consume alcohol for three hours after the early games (11 am kickoffs), an hour longer than last year. All tailgating in University-owned parking lots and ramps will end four hours after the end of the game(s). During the final hour, fans will be asked to pack up and begin exiting.

Alcohol consumption will extend two hours after 2:30 pm kickoffs, also an hour longer than last year. For those games, tailgating in ramps and University parking lots will stop three hours after the final horn.

There will be no postgame tailgating allowed for the Iowa games that kickoff in the evening (6 pm or later).

RV owners will be allowed to stay overnight, but all other rules also apply to them.

Barta said in a statement from the University of Iowa, "We know the opportunity to enjoy pregame and postgame time with friends and family is an important part of the game-day experience for many of our fans. We’re optimistic that the excellent support and participation we’ve had from the vast majority of our fans who want to enjoy their full day at Kinnick Stadium will continue. The ‘fun factor’ surrounding Hawkeye football is an important focus of ours as we plan for 2015. However, we can’t and won’t let the bad behavior of a very small number of fans ruin the experience for the overwhelming majority. We are very encouraged that the number of incidents requiring action by our game-day security or law enforcement continues to decline. We believe this is evidence that the overwhelming majority of our fans are having fun and tailgating responsibly. We also believe they will continue to do so with the extra hour that we are adding to the postgame opportunity for our 11 and 2:30 games. We want our fans to enjoy game day.  We only have seven opportunities a year to cheer the Hawkeyes at Kinnick, so we want each of them to be fun and memorable. We also want our fans to have a safe drive home."

What do you think? Has Iowa done enough to help the 'fun factor' in Iowa City? If not, what would you like to see the University do?