Rising Costs Make it More Expensive to be an Iowa Football Fan

Iowa football’s biggest weekend in years comes as families pay more for food, fuel, and other costs of watching the game

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa football is having a moment. After the Hawkeyes pulled off a last-second upset over Michigan on Saturday, Iowa City is preparing to host ESPN’s College GameDay for the first time in 20 years as the Hawkeyes take on No. 5 Ohio State this weekend. In Ames, Iowa State is preparing for its big Homecoming game against West Virginia on Oct. 3.

For fans across the state, that means another weekend of football, tailgating and gathering with friends and family. It also means paying more to do it.

The rising cost of a football weekend is part of the higher costs Iowa families are facing more broadly due to tariffs and the war in Iran. Food prices are higher than they were a year ago, fuel costs have increased, and fans are increasingly navigating multiple high-cost streaming platforms to watch college sports.

The war in Iran has disrupted global energy markets and contributed to higher gasoline and diesel prices. Iowa’s average price for regular gasoline was $4.27 per gallon as of Sept. 27, up from $2.86 a year ago. The state’s average diesel price reached a record $6.32 per gallon on Sept. 21. For fans who travel to games, tailgates, or away events, those higher fuel costs add another expense to a weekend that already requires families to budget for food, tickets, and other costs.

Earlier this year, in March, April, May, June, and July, Nunn and Miller-Meeks voted against ending combat operations in Iran. 

Quinn, an avid Iowa State fan and season ticket holder, said rising costs have changed how his family approaches its tailgates:

“My dad and I split the costs of our tailgate party bus for Cyclones games, and we are both awestruck at how much diesel has gone up. Our tailgates are noticeably smaller now because food prices keep climbing. It’s not the same party we are used to, and it will get even worse if prices continue to go up.”

Federal policies have also affected the costs of goods. The Trump administration's tariffs have increased the cost of imported goods and materials, including products used throughout the agricultural economy. The cost of a typical tailgate spread is up 10% from last year. Ground beef is up nearly 15%, hot dogs are up 12% and ketchup is up nearly 17% compared with August 2025. In February, Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks voted against a resolution to end tariffs on Canadian imports. Canada is one of Iowa's largest agricultural trading partners.

The costs are not limited to tailgating. The growing number of sports streaming services and industry mergers are making it more expensive and complicated for fans to watch live sports, including football, as well. College football games are increasingly spread across multiple streaming platforms, meaning fans may need more than one subscription to watch the teams and games they follow as various platforms hold rights to different college and professional games. 

For Iowa families, the rising costs of following sports are part of a broader increase in the cost of everyday life. Higher prices for food and fuel can turn something as familiar as a Saturday football game into another expense that families have to weigh against the rest of their budgets.

With Iowa City preparing for a nationally watched matchup and Iowa State heading into Homecoming, football fans across the state will still be gathering this weekend. But for many families, doing what they have always done to enjoy a fall Saturday now costs more.