It has been announced that Kinnick Stadium will be adding the ‘Tigerhawk’ logo for home football games, to be added for the start of the 2017 season.
After years of fans requesting the addition, it finally has come to pass as the athletic department announced. Recently, head coach Kirk Ferentz strongly hinted that this was coming when he sat down with Chad Leistikow of Hawk Central.
Regarding the announcement and plans for the addition, the athletic department stated:
The playing surface in Kinnick Stadium will feature an Iowa logo for the first time since the conclusion of the 1980 football season, as the Tigerhawk will be installed at midfield when the new FieldTurf is put in place in the coming weeks.
The Tigerhawk logo will be black with gold trim, and will face north to south between the 45-yardlines, so that television cameras will show the logo facing left to right. The Kinnick Stadium playing surface is being replaced this summer as part of the first phase of the Kinnick Edge project, which will see the entire north end zone stands replaced following the 2017 season.
Kinnick Stadium has long been known as one of the most hostile opposing stadiums for teams to travel to, with the close proximity of the visiting benches to the fans, and the ‘famous’ pink locker room.
Adding about this news, athletic director Gary Barta said:
“The passion for the Tigerhawk is amazing. Wherever you go in the state, across the country, or throughout the world, when you wear the logo on your shirt, a friendly ‘GO HAWKS’ shout is inevitable,” said Gary Barta, UI director of athletics. “The current Kinnick Stadium renovation provided an opportunity to add the Tigerhawk to the field. It will provide another great touch to an already iconic stadium.”
The stadium playing surface has not had a University logo since a block “I” adorned the center of the field from 1972 through 1980. Artificial turf was first installed prior to the 1972 season and the block “I”appeared at midfield until a new surface was installed prior to the 1981 season, without a logo at midfield.
Iowa has a tricky home schedule for the first season with the Tigerhawk adorning midfield. With tricky games against Minnesota and the opener Wyoming, as well as Big Ten powers Ohio State and Penn State coming to Iowa City, it will be tough.
Coming for the 2019 season will be a newly upgraded north end zone that has been in the works as well.