OT: Who should host future B1G Title Games?
Should Indy keep the game or should they rotate some sites in there to keep it fresh and interesting? Will Delany or future commisioners ever change it?
Some options:
Keep in in Indy- Lucas Oil Stadium. I've heard that its a great setup down there as far as the city blocks surrounding the stadium. Never been but would like to go if Michigan ever qualifies for the damn game.
Other Domes- Ford Field, US Bank Stadium (Minneapolis)- Ford Field is a very underrated venue. This is Michigan, fergodsakes. Fuck the Vikings but Minnesota is cool too.
Home Field:
a.Have the best record host as a home game?
b. Rotate b1g venues?- Ross Ade excluded of course.
Outdoor football for those with manly football sensibilites:
Just to piss off the anti-nfl zealots on the board: Lambeau Field, Soldier Field (crappy playing surface might claim a few ACLs), Browns Stadium?, Metlife Stadium?
Looking forward to your opinions and discussion.
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:01 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:11 PM ^
I really dig Pasadena. Only been once but I like how the stadium is just sitting in a little community park and then you've got all the old school mansions kind of around the corner and a bunch of cool restaurants, everything from brewpubs and sports bars to super ritzy places that only California bigshots can probably afford.
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:04 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:12 PM ^
Other advantages:
(1) Lucas Oil is a great facility,
(2) it's driveable for most fan bases, important considering you often don't know if you'll be there until 7 days prior,
(3) weather will never be a factor, and
(4) you're unlikely to get a complaint that a team has a "home field advantage" because they're playing in their home state (an issue with Detroit). IU & Purdue aren't traditional B1G football powers, of course.
A disadvantage is the lack of a hub airport. But for fans who need to fly, ORD is only a couple hours away, and has flights to every single town of size in the B1G footprint.
I thought Indy was a dumb idea at first, but I've changed my mind --- play the football title game there every year, with the b-ball tournament in Chicago.
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:16 PM ^
You make valid points. As far as the home field advantage argument I cant say that I'd feel bad about Wisconsin or OSU getting some random shit luck in some future year, but keeping it at a central location is a pretty diplomatic way to go about it. It would be very fun to see the fan turnout and spirit if Purdue or IU ever won their division (never will happen).
December 2nd, 2017 at 3:29 PM ^
Yeah, plus having it in the same location every year (1) is consistent and (2) will never allow Delaney to put it in NYC for "rotation" reasons (note: I live in NYC and still say keep it in Indy).
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:06 PM ^
Of course there should be an outdoor venue; I've always enjoyed the Big 12 Title Games held in Arrowhead Stadium...so I say...
Indoor venues- Detroit and Indy
Outdoors- Lambeau, Browns Stadium...maybe Soldier Field...maybe Giants Stadium
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:09 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:18 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:14 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:21 PM ^
Should switch it up every once in a while with Detroit, Minneapolis and Chicago.
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:21 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:23 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:23 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^
If Chicago had a dome, it should definitely be there. Biggest city in the Midwest, has the most Big Ten alums of pretty much all schools, centrally located.
But I'm fine with Indy indoors.
Minneapolis would be terrible because it's far from every school except for Minnesota/Iowa/Wisconsin.
Detroit would be the next best option, but I'm not sure if they would do that.
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:03 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^
I'm not sure why it wouldn't be held in Chicago every year. The city has loads of advantages compared to any other city in the B1G footprint:
- Access: With O'Hare and Midway, you can fly direct to Chicago from anywhere in the country (including - but not limited to - the Midwest)
- Infrastructure: Chicago has tons of hotels and - obviously - all the amenities of a world-class city (not just a good regional city)
- Representation: Chicago is the B1G melting pot city; the one location all B1G fanbases have sizeable alum groups
- Media: Chicago is the third largest media market in the country with - again - all the benefits in branding, exposure, etc. that that provides
- Non-Football Activities: Chicago has a lot to offer those members of the family / circle of friends that make the trip but aren't exactly jazzed about the football part of the equation. Michelin restaurants, fantastic museums, great tours, etc.
There are these benefits and many others. I'm not even a big fan of Chicago per se, but it's the obvious slam-dunk choice for the B1G football championship game. The one obvious downer about Chicago is the weather. But - geez - this is the B1G right?!
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:33 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:47 PM ^
I'm not trying to be dense, but - by the number of dollar signs you posted - I'm assuming you are suggesting Chicago is expensive.
Interestingly, I had thought the opposite. I even considered putting "cost" as an advantage to Chicago but refrained because it's obviously not the "cheap" per se (certainly not as cheap as - say - Detroit or Indiana).
Yes, Chicago is probably the most expensive city in the B1G footpriint (because it's a global, desirable location), but costs are relative. For the thousands of alum that live in NYC, SF, Seattle, LA, etc., Chicago is actually not too shabby (over and above the tens of thousands of alum that already live in the Chicago area). This is a relative opinion though, and one I can appreciate regional alums may not share.
C'est la vie
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:27 PM ^
Obviously the weather is an issue but I'd love to see it in Cleveland if they were to bounce it around and include outdoor venues. TONS of Cleveland kids playing all across the Big Ten and while it is a Buckeye town there are plenty of Michigan fans here.
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^
stadium. No sense for fans to set in discomfort or have weather dictate outcome of a game of this magnitude. By rotating the venue, it would create an equitable share for various cities throughout the conference.
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:21 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^
PS did anyone else catch this awkward handshake on gameday?
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:48 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:53 PM ^
If the Big 10 set up a list of important characteristics, Indy would score near the top in all of them. Detroit & Chicago - not so much.
- A very nice indoor stadium
- Centrally located
- Easily driveable for most fans
- Very good airport; multiple carriers
- Good tourist town; not too big or too small
- Plenty of hotel rooms
- They're great hosts; the event is important to Indy & they're very experienced at doing it
- etc.
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:12 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:58 PM ^
I see some other drawbacks to Chicago. The Big 10 championship is just another event for Chicago, and they'd treat it that way. Cost (e.g. hotel rooms) are significantly higher in Chicago. Out of towners don't like to drive in/through Chicago. It can be a nightmare.
I recognize that Chicago has some good points, but not having an indoor stadium pretty much kills it for me (and probably for a lot of other fans). I just can't see very many fans getting excited about sitting outdoors in Chicago in December for 3+ hours to watch that game.
December 2nd, 2017 at 2:33 PM ^
Deleted
December 2nd, 2017 at 12:54 PM ^
I'm an unabashed Detroit homer. Move it to Detroit.
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:01 PM ^
Indy. I can stay with the rents.
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:09 PM ^
Centrally located.
Easily accessible by plane, train, or automobile.
Already the "home" of the Big Ten.
No one is going to complain about spending a weekend in Chicago.
Like Indiana, neither Illinois school is going to make regular apearances in the game.
But even if you have it in Indianapolis, why is the roof closed? Football is a cold weather sport, especially in the Midwest. It's ridiculous that the one single Big Ten game played inside all year is the championship game.
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:10 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:18 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:31 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:41 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:47 PM ^
Make it Bolivia so all the exiled MGoBanned can watch it.
December 2nd, 2017 at 2:04 PM ^
Well, if Bolivia gets into the rotation, I guess we're finally going to have that excuse to make good on a long-standing promise and make cable TV widely available down there and not just a luxury enjoyed by the staff. Also, the laws on HD broadcasting don't exactl apply there, so I hope no one minds a slightly fuzzy picture. That would probably incentivize buying tickets to the actual game though.
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:36 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 1:52 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 2:23 PM ^
The one - and only - reason it's in Indy is because the NCAA is headquartered there. It gives Delaney and the rest of the B1G aristocracy the opportunity to hob-knob with the NCAA elites. No doubt, the affiliation with the NCAA headquarters produces a number of "benefits" for Delaney, et al.
December 2nd, 2017 at 2:30 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 2:30 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 4:43 PM ^
- Divisional inequity would have some bite.
- Butts in seats.
- Travel costs reduced.
This year... Columbus.
East went 13 - 8 vs. West for 61.9% win percent.
Go Badgers... but Bucky... pls... get over your 12-0 ideas of greatness. There's no way they go undefeated in the East.
The butts in seats issue is going to be more an issue. There were unclaimed seats at The Game this year and open market prices were down this year on last (though I haven't see an end of season wrap on that yet.)
I'm tired of watching games with no fans in the stands.... not that there isn't football to watch there...
December 2nd, 2017 at 6:14 PM ^
December 2nd, 2017 at 6:44 PM ^
I'd rotate it between Indianapolis, Detroit, Minnesota, and Chicago. I'd be open to Cincinnati too.
December 2nd, 2017 at 11:18 PM ^