I actually like Iowa's "brand," for lack of a better term. The Tiger Hawk was marketing genius, and the uniforms, though derivative, are still iconic for Saturday games. Add to that Ferentz's established style of play and Norm/Phil Parker's defenses, and you have a program with a strong identity, and their fans are incredible loyal to that brand.
And despite all the Hawk fans, Iowa City is a great place to live from April through November. Winters are, hard to imagine, so awful. So awful.