The Iowa football team is struggling, so it’s time to go out and support the Hawkeyes’ smaller sports teams.

Every week, a cycle repeats at the University of Iowa. Fans get hyped for the upcoming football game, watch said game in Kinnick Stadium or on TV screens, complain about the same problems they’ve complained about for the past 10 years, then get hyped all over again.

But the complaints aren’t without reason. They are the product of the passionate fan base Iowa football has spent the past century building. Despite having some of the most passionate football fans in the nation, the passion hasn’t translated to smaller sports.

The Iowa field hockey team is ranked No. 5 in the nation and has been one of the top NCAA Division I field hockey teams for a few years. The Hawkeyes won their first 16 games of the season in 2021-22.

Yet, the field hockey team usually draws around 200-300 people to each home game.

The Iowa soccer team has also struggled to draw people to its games, and most attendees are families looking for something to do on a Sunday afternoon. I understand Iowa soccer has struggled this year, but that hardly holds up as an excuse when the football team has been much more difficult to watch.

I also understand that soccer and field hockey are nowhere near as popular as football in the U.S. They probably won’t be for a long time, if ever.

However, they are still teams consisting of Division I athletes representing Iowa.

As the Iowa soccer reporter, I’ve watched every Hawkeye game this season. It seems like Iowa’s Big Ten counterparts always have better attendance.

This is especially embarrassing considering admission to soccer games is free.

Part of the problem could be that many fall sports like soccer, volleyball, and field hockey — despite having free or inexpensive admission — are not the most accessible for students.

Volleyball takes place in Coralville at Xtream Arena. The Iowa Soccer Complex hosts soccer games, while field hockey takes place at Grant Field. Both venues are deep into the west side of campus and not within walking distance for any students. It doesn’t help that trips to the venues on the Cambus — the UI’s bus service — are sporadic at best.

The problem is also enhanced by the fact that the games aren’t easily accessible to watch on TV — making it more difficult for students to familiarize themselves with the team.

When Iowa cross country has a meet, students aren’t flocking to downtown bars like Joe’s Place and Bo James to get drunk and watch.

But all of the Big Ten games are available to watch on the BTN+ streaming service, which is free to use as long as you’re on a Big Ten campus. You don’t even need to log in to use it.

That way, students can watch away games live, and when they go to a volleyball, soccer, or field hockey game, they’ll know all about Sam Cary, Amiya Jones, and Alex Wesneski.

Give some of the smaller sports a shot. It’s a great way to support your school and cheer on some teams that aren’t extremely disappointing.