With the first home game of the University of Northern Iowa football season Saturday, there is an excitement around campus. It’s also homecoming, which brings back alumni and attracts more people than usual. Making its game day debut, the new scoreboard in the UNI-Dome has received a lot of buzz.

This is an accomplishment for UNI and they need to look into more opportunities to enhance the fan experience. For many fans, professional sporting events are more than a game- they’re an experience. 

UNI football games need to strive to do this on the college level. Too often the student section is scarce by halftime. By improving the experience of the game, the student section will be fuller. An improved experience will attract more fans to the games.

One way the Panthers can provide a better experience for fans is to increase the amount of televisions around the Dome. There are televisions along the concourse, but these televisions need to be larger. The televisions also need to be hanging from the ceiling so when a person is walking down the concourse or waiting in line, they will be able to watch the game. These enhancements would help the fans stay engaged while away from their seats.

Another way the Panthers can provide a better experience for fans is by hiring someone to host the event. They need to hire someone to bring energy and engage fans. At professional sporting events, this person is someone who can hype up fans when the mood is down. Having a host with personality and energy will allow fans to enjoy games more. While teams change year to year, having a familiar face will provide a comfortable experience for fans.

In addition, the Panthers can create a better experience at games by providing more small bursts of entertainment, such as more t-shirt cannons. Fans love free t-shirts, especially t-shirts flying at them. By having more t-shirt cannons firing more often, fans will want remain at the games. People will stick around games longer if they know there is a better chance at receiving a t-shirt.

All these ways to entertain fans will keep fans at the game longer and draw larger crowds to the UNI-Dome. With money being tight for programs, the university needs to think of creative ways to entertain and attract fans. By doing this, the fans will enjoy themselves even more during the game while the Panthers are on their way to a victory.