A Wave Through Time: The Story of Kinnick Stadium
A look at how nearly a century of football, fans, and community made Kinnick Stadium a symbol of Iowa pride.
Text and visuals by Eddie Tepper
The crowd rises as the first notes of “Back in Black” blast through the speakers, cutting through the cool Iowa air. The bass rattles the bleachers, and thousands dressed in black and gold stand shoulder to shoulder. Flags fly; students chant, and the Hawkeyes charge out of the tunnel as more than 70,000 fans erupt. The noise rolls over the stadium, spilling into the streets around it. In that moment, Kinnick feels alive with students, alumni, and families all pulsing with the same energy that makes this place unlike anywhere else.
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The statue of Nile Kinnick stands in front of Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, on October 1, 2025.
When asked about his favorite memory at Kinnick Stadium, Iowa Wide Receiver Sam Phillips said, “Going out there for the first time and seeing the crowd packed out... you couldn’t ask for anything better than that.”
Even for the players, being at a home game for the first time is an experience they will never forget. The noise hits them the second they step out of the tunnel, and the sight of fans dressed in black and gold can feel overwhelming.
Senior Iowa Cheerleader, Austin Beam said, "My first time cheering was the coolest thing ever, seeing all of the fans screaming while being on the field made me super excited to be there."
For many people, that first game inside Kinnick is about much more than just watching football. It is about feeling the tradition and energy that fills the stadium from the opening kickoff to the final whistle. Fans said they get goosebumps when the team runs out for the Swarm, and even students who have been to dozens of games say that nothing ever matches the feeling of their first one.
But this electric atmosphere didn’t appear overnight. It’s the result of nearly a century of grit, growth, and generations of Iowans who turned a stadium into a symbol of pride.
Even for the players, being at a home game for the first time is an experience they will never forget. The noise hits them the second they step out of the tunnel, and the sight of fans dressed in black and gold can feel overwhelming.
Senior Iowa Cheerleader, Austin Beam said, "My first time cheering was the coolest thing ever, seeing all of the fans screaming while being on the field made me super excited to be there."
For many people, that first game inside Kinnick is about much more than just watching football. It is about feeling the tradition and energy that fills the stadium from the opening kickoff to the final whistle. Fans said they get goosebumps when the team runs out for the Swarm, and even students who have been to dozens of games say that nothing ever matches the feeling of their first one.
But this electric atmosphere didn’t appear overnight. It’s the result of nearly a century of grit, growth, and generations of Iowans who turned a stadium into a symbol of pride.
Long before the bright lights and roaring crowds, Kinnick Stadium began as a bold idea taking shape on the west side of campus. When it opened in 1929, it was known as Iowa Stadium. It was a monument to a growing passion for football in a small town. Built during the Great Depression, it was more than just a sports venue; it was a sign of pride and community spirit.
The stadium is so old that they didn't have bulldozers at the time; they had to rely on teams of horses and mules to help move the dirt. Sometimes the animals would pass away due to heat, exhaustion, or break a leg and there was no way to carry them out, so they ended up burying them underneath the north stands.
When completed, Iowa Stadium was the first football stadium in the Big Ten that was half above and half below the ground.
On April 26, 1929, when the stadium was barely underway, the Athletic Director, Paul Belting, who was responsible for the stadium plans, resigned under fire. in October 1928, Belting announced the stadium plans at a pep rally once getting approved a $500,000 bond. This bond had to be paid off in 13 years with 5% interest.
News broke that Iowa Football was under investigation for paying their players because there was suspicion about how they landed outstanding running back, Mayes McLain. It was later announced that Iowa had been suspended from the Big Ten conference for one year. Iowa Football income plummeted to $42,000 compared to an all-time high of $200,000 in 1929. The actual cost of the stadium ended up being $497,152, which was a bargain compared to the most recent renovation to the north end zone that cost $89.9 million.
"When Hayden Fry took over as Iowa's Head Coach, he decided to use a psychological ploy to play with the minds of visiting teams. He had the opponents' locker room walls in Kinnick Stadium painted pink..." Buck Turnbull said in his book, Stadium Stories: Iowa Hawkeyes. Hayden Fry said, "Pink is often found in girls' bedrooms, and some consider it a sissy color. When I talk to the coaches on the field before a game and they mention the pink walls, I know I've got 'em"
Every brick, every roar, and every autumn Saturday ties back to a nearly century-long testament to how Iowa football became a living piece of history.
The stadium is so old that they didn't have bulldozers at the time; they had to rely on teams of horses and mules to help move the dirt. Sometimes the animals would pass away due to heat, exhaustion, or break a leg and there was no way to carry them out, so they ended up burying them underneath the north stands.
When completed, Iowa Stadium was the first football stadium in the Big Ten that was half above and half below the ground.
On April 26, 1929, when the stadium was barely underway, the Athletic Director, Paul Belting, who was responsible for the stadium plans, resigned under fire. in October 1928, Belting announced the stadium plans at a pep rally once getting approved a $500,000 bond. This bond had to be paid off in 13 years with 5% interest.
News broke that Iowa Football was under investigation for paying their players because there was suspicion about how they landed outstanding running back, Mayes McLain. It was later announced that Iowa had been suspended from the Big Ten conference for one year. Iowa Football income plummeted to $42,000 compared to an all-time high of $200,000 in 1929. The actual cost of the stadium ended up being $497,152, which was a bargain compared to the most recent renovation to the north end zone that cost $89.9 million.
The Pink Walls.
"When Hayden Fry took over as Iowa's Head Coach, he decided to use a psychological ploy to play with the minds of visiting teams. He had the opponents' locker room walls in Kinnick Stadium painted pink..." Buck Turnbull said in his book, Stadium Stories: Iowa Hawkeyes. Hayden Fry said, "Pink is often found in girls' bedrooms, and some consider it a sissy color. When I talk to the coaches on the field before a game and they mention the pink walls, I know I've got 'em"
Every brick, every roar, and every autumn Saturday ties back to a nearly century-long testament to how Iowa football became a living piece of history.
With a deep history, Kinnick Stadium has always been more than just a place for football. The traditions, the crowd, and the pride that fills every game day show how much the stadium means to the people of Iowa. But beyond the noise and excitement, there is a moment that brings everyone together in a different way.
The Wave.
When the first quarter ends, every person in the stadium turns to face the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, and waves to the children at the top of the building. The Wave has become one of the most meaningful traditions in college football, a reminder that what happens inside Kinnick reaches far beyond the field.
The Wave began on September 2, 2017, during a home game against Wyoming. It started as an idea shared on social media: fans would turn and wave to the young patients that are watching from the hospital’s top-floor windows that overlook the field. What began as a small gesture quickly became one of the most powerful traditions in college sports. The moment reminds everyone that football is not only part of what makes Kinnick special. It is also the sense of community and hope that truly defines it.
Brielle Lombardi, a nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, said, “A patient’s dad came up to me after the wave, very emotional. He said it gave him a whole new perspective because he got to wave to his son.”
The Wave during the Iowa vs. Minnesota game
on October 25, 2025.
on October 25, 2025.
With Kinnick Stadium approaching its 100th anniversary in 2029, the future of this iconic venue is full of both excitement and reverence. While renovations and modernization continue to update the stadium facilities, the essence of Kinnick remains unchanged. From its towering stands to the roar of the crowd on game day, it continues to be a gathering place where traditions are honored, and memories are made.
In the future, they are opening Kinnick Stadium to different sports and events. Recently, it was announced that the Savannah Bananas baseball team is coming to Iowa City to play July 3-4, 2026. They will be facing off against the Savannah Firefighters.
Generations of fans have celebrated victories, endured heartbreaks, and shared moments that extend far beyond the field. As Kinnick looks toward its centennial, it carries not only the history of nearly a century but also the promise of the next hundred years. Every chant, every cheer, and every wave from the crowd is a reminder that Kinnick is more than a stadium. It is the heart of a community, a place where stories unfold; friendships are forged, and the spirit of the Hawkeyes endures.
In the future, they are opening Kinnick Stadium to different sports and events. Recently, it was announced that the Savannah Bananas baseball team is coming to Iowa City to play July 3-4, 2026. They will be facing off against the Savannah Firefighters.
Generations of fans have celebrated victories, endured heartbreaks, and shared moments that extend far beyond the field. As Kinnick looks toward its centennial, it carries not only the history of nearly a century but also the promise of the next hundred years. Every chant, every cheer, and every wave from the crowd is a reminder that Kinnick is more than a stadium. It is the heart of a community, a place where stories unfold; friendships are forged, and the spirit of the Hawkeyes endures.
As the crowd waves once more, Kinnick Stadium's story continues.
A low-angle view of the Nile Kinnick statue outside Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, on October 1, 2025.
