ISU apologizes for ticketing delays, working on improvements for CyHawk game

AMES, Iowa (KCRG) - Iowa State’s Athletic Director apologized for ticketing system delays that caused long waits for people to get inside Jack Trice Stadium for Saturday’s season opener against UNI that caused some people to miss kickoff.

Pictures on social media showed long lines at the gates to the stadium with fans complaining of waiting over an hour to get into the stadium for the 1:00 PM kickoff. The Cyclone Athletic Department blamed a new ticket scanning system it introduced this year for the long delays.

Anyone wondering why it was a late arriving crowd. This is at 1:00. Due to the new ticket scanners? pic.twitter.com/XRkfYgmu44
— Jon (@cyclonejonny) September 2, 2023

Athletic Director Jamie Pollard said the “combination of many fans arriving closer to kickoff, our staff’s inability to help fans understand the technology, and the excessive heat, came together to create a perfect storm of poor customer service.”

Pollard apologized to fans and asked for patience in working to improve the system for next week’s game. Those crowds are expected to be much bigger with the Iowa Hawkeyes coming to Ames for the annual CyHawk rivalry game that typically draws a sellout crowd.

Picture from the bridge of Cyclones fans still trying to get into the game. Gonna have to figure something out before next week. pic.twitter.com/BzhiWXmnrT
— Chris Williams (@ChrisMWilliams) September 2, 2023

Iowa State went on to beat UNI 30-9 to open its season.

Read Jamie Pollard’s full letter to fans:

Dear Cyclone Fans:

Thank you for cheering on the Cyclones to a season-opening win over UNI yesterday! Your support of our student-athletes, coaches and staff is greatly appreciated, and helps create a tremendous home field advantage.

Our goal is to provide you with an outstanding game-day experience every time that you enter Jack Trice Stadium. Unfortunately, we did not live up to that standard yesterday.

After successfully piloting 20 turnstile scanners at Gate 2 a year ago, the decision was made to expand their use this season to Gates 1 and 3. Unfortunately, the combination of many fans arriving closer to kickoff, our staff’s inability to help fans understand the technology, and the excessive heat, came together to create a perfect storm of poor customer service.

Please accept my apology for the inconveniences we caused for many of you yesterday. We do appreciate your understanding and patience as we work through improvements for this week’s game.

Go Cyclones!

Jamie Pollard

Director of Athletics

Iowa State University