I became an Iowa State fan because I was ages 8 through 11 Iowa State was good at football under Earl Bruce. They were the better football school in the state at the time, way better. Iowa was terrible, they had 19 straight losing seasons, and that was in a league they called the Big 2 little 8, meaning the league wasn't that good outside those two. Before the 1977 Iowa game a DSM Register state wide poll showed ISU had the majority of the fans in the state. We all know what happened, it flipped and then some when Hayden Fry turned Iowa around. So we lost the majority of fans and it has been ugly, probably about 70-30 in the state favoring the Hawkeyes. Well, I have a question to throw out there, is there potential for new fans to jump on since we are having success or is the door shut, the damage has been done, to little to late? I mean, are there 8 year olds in the state that are just starting to pay attention to college football taking a liking to the Cyclones or is there just way to many Hawkeye families in the state to influence to younger generations to hawk it up?
New Fans?
- Thread starter cayin
- Start date
I think there are plenty of Iowa 'fans' that 'root for all the in-state schools'. I know a few that were big fans of Hoi-ball. Those types of 'fans' could be swayed by our current run of success, or at least their kids might be allowed to become Cyclones. I think there's always hope for the younger generation. If we maintain this level of success, and Iowa's next coach makes them even more irrelevant, we could start to see the tides change. But it'll be 10 years before it's noticeable.
Maybe I just don't interact with it anymore, but Hawkeye fandom just isn't what it used to be, even in the eastern part of Iowa. Part of it is the B1G watering itself down too much, part of it is Iowa being good but not great in football and bad at basketball for a very long time. Just not a lot of wind in their sails to be honest.
Based on where Iowa families choose to send their sons and daughters to college, Iowa State is, always has been, and always will be the state's favorite college. That is an indisputable fact.
We just aren't the favorite college among the non-college crowd, but that will gradually change as ISU football rises to prominence.
We just aren't the favorite college among the non-college crowd, but that will gradually change as ISU football rises to prominence.
I totally agree!
And many of those folks who became Hawk fans back in the 80s/90s likely were swayed because of much better media coverage of Hawkeye sports. Better radio signal for football and basketball games. TV coverage of almost every football game (thankfully that has changed), and the Hawkeyes did have better TV coverage of basketball games back then.
But media coverage is now a wash, and--as an earlier post mentioned--the school with the stronger football program likely garners more casual fans.
Last edited:
Start buying ISU gear for friends and their families that have no association with ISU. They might not end up their favorite team but I guarantee they will like the cyclones just because of the hat they had when they were a kid.
Nope. It’s impossible for us to get new fans. We’re stuck with what we have.
Agreed. We just need to make more babies.
I suppose I can get the trophy wife earlier than I originally planned.
I have two nephews whose parents are very marginal Iowa fans. If you asked who they root for they'd say Iowa, they have a few shirts, but have never been to a game. Both have taken a liking to Iowa State in the last few years.
It seems to me, that the tide has been turning for ISU fans for quite a few yrs, at least in the area where I live the number of ISU fans seem to be growing I think it is a combination of more people graduating from ISU then raising their kids as Clones and Hawkeye sports not being as good and people really liked HoiBall.
This is how the fan base grows..... If this type of success keeps happening, then you can see a shift to more fringe fans becoming Cyclone fans.
But, the idiots on this board that are constantly spewing the BS phrase..."Most EIU fans never even went to EIU for college" trying to make our fanbase look better will have to eat their words. If our fanbase grows because of success in our program, then a higher percentage of the increase in fans will probably be ones that haven't gone to ISU. I'll enjoy the backpedaling of the ones spewing that crap now when it does happen.
But, the idiots on this board that are constantly spewing the BS phrase..."Most EIU fans never even went to EIU for college" trying to make our fanbase look better will have to eat their words. If our fanbase grows because of success in our program, then a higher percentage of the increase in fans will probably be ones that haven't gone to ISU. I'll enjoy the backpedaling of the ones spewing that crap now when it does happen.
Welcome to all new Cyclone fans.
The bandwagon has been pretty wide open for quite some time, but we'll find room for ya.
Just know you missed out on the helmet car era. Sorry.
The bandwagon has been pretty wide open for quite some time, but we'll find room for ya.
Just know you missed out on the helmet car era. Sorry.
Kids, it's true. It's all true. We also had a coach think it was a good idea to put a different colored helmet on the best players.
And a fan got to call in one play a game. I have a poster of Walden given to me from one person who did that. There was an issue during the play and they lost 20 some yards the guy told me. Seems fitting.
And those non grad fans tend to be the most ignorant and arrogant. With that said, I'll take all the cornfield alumni (Tavern hawk) we can get.
I know two people who have "switched" due to Ames being closer to Des Moines to bring their kids, etc. and we've actually bought clothes for new babies without affiliation, and have seen them wearing the clothes, so we're trying to sway as many a we can
