Big Ten Championship Game
If the venue favors one side of the championship game, then that defeats the purpose of having a championship game.
As for not winning/playing in a Natl Championship in the last ten years, OSU won it in 2002 and has played in it twice since. Yes, it's OSU so hatehatehate and all that, but they count as a Big Ten team. We've got some time before we have to worry about a Big Ten national championship drought. I'm more concerned with Michigan getting back there in the next several years.
I hope the B10 does the right thing and chooses an outdoor venue for the championship game. It just wouldn't be a Big Ten championship if it wasn't decided in inclement weather. The game is already gonna feel sterile and corporate enough with all of the advertisements that are sure to be plastered all over ("Rotel & Velveeta present The Rotel and Velveeta Big Ten Championship Game, brought to you by Rotel & Velveeta! now a word from our sponsors, Rotel & Velveeta"), not to mention the likelihood that it will be held at a soulless NFL stadium, but please let's not make it worse by playing it indoors.
I think playing the championship game in NYC would be a stretch, but you never know with Delany. As for the cold, the super bowl will be played here in a couple of years and its almost always colder in Jan and Feb then Dec.
1. It's in the middle of all the schools of the Big Ten geographically, so less travel time for everyone.
2. Lucas Oil has a retractable roof, so that if the weather is ok they can play outside.
3. Super Bowls, Final Four Tourneys, and many other large events come to Indy. They are used to all the logistics that go with hosting a big time game.
4. Incredible bias - I live in Indianapolis and it would mean I can drive 10 minutes to go see Michigan dominate the conference instead of 5 hours of driving. We even have a bar that is for Michgan fans exclusively, only a few blocks away from the stadium.
I would give it a "LIKE"
around these parts. And as you'll notice with your point total we have down votes too.
I've been around long enough to know that. It was a JOKE people!
August 5th, 2010 at 11:14 AM ^
I like the idea of playing the Big Ten title game in Indy for logistical reasons. I do not, however, like the idea of playing the game (or any football game for that matter) in a dome stadium. And the real bummer is that the title game will be in a stadium far smaller than those in which 3 of the (historically) dominant teams play. There is sure to be a real squeeze for tickets!
Does the right thing and plays the championship game outdoors? No thank you...I can just imagine the outrage of a big ten team getting passed over because it looked like crap in the championship game because of inclimate weather...While other conferences look great in great conditions....no way.....
Yeah, every 3 years it would be outside, but this is Big Ten football! it belongs outdoors in the elements!
Sure weather could be a factor, but it affects both teams.
Part of me really wants the game to be in the Big Ten footprint, but on the other hand with all the expansion/east coast importance talk... I think NY wouldn't be out of the question
EDIT
It does not matter that the weather would affect both teams...If the teams look like crap because of weather, there is a pretty good chance that the winning team would get shafted because other might look better in their championship game because of prestine conditions...Why take that chance?
Get the league exposure in Philly, DC, Boston, NYC, Texas... That "expands the footprint", caters to distant alums, and keeps the competitive balance of each conference team getting 4 home games.
I hadn't thought of that but that'd be awesome! I know games involving OSU, PSU, UM, Nebraska, and possibly Iowa and Wisconsin would sell out but the other teams might not be that big of a draw. I'd love to see a Nebraska-UM matchup at Jerry World (insert Arlington, TX bias here).
Sadly I don't think they'd do it but I think it'd be totally awesome if they did. Maybe for the have-nots they could play places like Lucas Oil or Ford or Soldier so still playing at a neutral field but still having a chance of selling the tickets.
August 5th, 2010 at 10:03 AM ^
I understand that you would love to get UM in your backyard. My problem "neutral site" has always been that you take away one of the best things about college football. The feel that you get when you are in a stadium on campus is unique to each college. Why would you want to take away a great atmosphere and replace it with a sterile corporate field and stadium? Secondly they are hardly ever a neutral site. Supposedly the Rose Bowl in in a neutral site. But we all know that it clearly a home field advantage for usc and ucla when they go.
August 5th, 2010 at 10:51 AM ^
Just ask UT and OU - they refuse to move the game from the Cotton Bowl and think moving it to home and home would actually take away from the rivalry. There are right ways and wrong ways to do it (I think splitting down the 50 is actually a much better idea than splitting down the endzones) so it all depends. Besides, if we're talking about bringing in a bigger foot print and getting more people interested in Big Ten football then I can't see anything wrong with playing football in, arguably, the one state that cares about football more than anything else now that there's no Alamo Bowl alliance.
We're not talking about playing a CA school in CA or a FL school in FL. Both sides would have to travel which is what really makes it a neutral site game.
I think the A&M and Arkansas fans really enjoyed the game at Jerry World last year (talking to the A&M fans I know) and they are just as proud of their stadium as any fans in the country (deservedly so or not).
The Red River Rivalry is a different story since they have played it at the cotton bowl since 1929. It's pretty entrenched there and the cotton bowl has built a ton of tradition around the game over the years. As far as a home field advantage goes, what about penn state playing in phily, or osu playing either in cleveland or cincy. I would just prefer never to see M play a "home game" anywhere but Michigan Stadium, and secondly I am quite sure that the ADs would never allow losing the revenue from a home game.
ok, i guess. i would rather see the game rotated around the stadiums of Big Ten teams, but I got an F in marketing and money making and junk.
I live a 15 min walk from Ford Field. MGoBoard party at my place for M in the 2011 B10 championship
I don't understand why people insist that championship games be played in "good" weather locations or indoors. Football is a game that is played outside in the elements. I love watching games played when the weather is bad. Both teams have to deal with the conditions. If it is acceptable to play osu v. M outside in late november (which was the Big Ten championship game more times than not) then why do people think the new Big Ten championship has to be played indoors. I don't buy the argument that it will hurt them in the rankings if a team looks sloppy in bad weather. With only 5 or so games going on during "championship week" voters should have no problem watching all the games and making an informed decision about what they saw. I know that this is giving the people who vote in the rankings the benefit of the doubt which could be troublesome. But you can't allow fear of idiots change part of what makes the Big Ten unique and some would say better.
August 5th, 2010 at 10:19 AM ^
you schedule the championship game in a "destination" location that is central to the majority of the conference. From that perspective, Chicago makes the most sense. The downside it that Soldier Field is not a dome. You don't want to end up with a game like the Citrus Bowl last year or the Big 12 Championship game a few years back where it was like -20 in Kansas City.
Now with all that said, from a PR and hype perspective a Big Ten Championship game at Lambeau would be awesome. The coverage for the first one there would be all over the airwaves.
My suggestion would be to rotate for the first 3-5 years then pick a permanent location with one caveat. Every 4th or 5th year the game is played at Lambeau.
August 5th, 2010 at 12:18 PM ^
What bar are you speaking of in Indy for only Michigan fans? Is it O'Reilly's?