College is about two things: exploration and camaraderie.
One of the best ways to gain this experience is by attending away games to cheer on the Hawkeyes.
Every year, Hawkeye athletic teams compete across the country at different campuses, offering students and fans the opportunity to explore new regions.
This year, for example, the football team travels to Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Columbus, and College Park, just outside Washington, D.C. While some of these cities are popular tourist destinations, others are college towns like Iowa City that offer unique experiences.
With the addition of UCLA, USC, Washington, and Oregon to the Big Ten, the conference now features a mix of major cities and college towns. Iowa fans can visit cities like Seattle, Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington D.C., as well as college towns like Ann Arbor, Madison, and Eugene.
The Eastern Iowa Airport has flights for three away games, making it easier for fans to attend matchups at Ohio State, Michigan State, and UCLA. These trips give fans a chance to experience both large metropolitan areas and smaller college towns.
The Big Ten is also home to iconic stadiums and arenas. Michigan’s Big House, Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium, Purdue’s Mackey Arena, and UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, all of which have rich legacies, should be on every sports fan’s bucket list.
Cheering on athletes at away games can bring a piece of home, even when our teams are thousands of miles away. Fans can help boost team morale and reduce the fatigue our Hawkeye athletes might feel on the road.
While price is a hindrance to attending away games, airlines like United offer student discounts. Traveling with a group is another way to split costs and make the trip more affordable.
Additionally, the university agreed to expand to the West Coast, increasing travel for both student-athletes and fans attending away games. To support these distant games, the university should continue to seek partnerships with local airports and airlines for travel.
Some students may hesitate to travel for fear of seeing the Hawkeyes lose. While the Hawkeyes losing is a rarity, the experience of visiting a new city or region more than makes up for it.
Traveling as a college student is important. It can give you a firsthand look at cities where you might want to live or work, or it can introduce you to schools you could consider for postgraduate studies.
With new schools joining the Big Ten, our athletic teams travel more than ever. Both major cities and small college towns make up the conference, which offers unique travel opportunities for students and fans. Now is the perfect time to attend more away games.