Big Ten Football Title Game To Be Played Indoors

June 6, 2011 / Football
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jeff Potrykus

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/123201913.html

Madison – Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, previously selected to host the first Big Ten Conference football title game in 2011, will be the home of the event through the 2015 season.

League officials made that announcement Sunday after a unanimous vote by the Big Ten’s council of Presidents/Chancellors.

The first Big Ten title game is set for Dec. 3, with the winners of the Leaders and Legends divisions meeting for the league’s automatic BCS berth.

“Indianapolis … many people consider to be the amateur sports capital in the U.S.,” Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said during a teleconference. “And not only host great collegiate and amateur events but also the 2012 Super Bowl.”

According to Delany, the first five football title games will be carried by Fox in prime time.

Lucas Oil Stadium has a retractable roof and seats 63,000 for football. Soldier Field in Chicago, an open-air facility that is situated on the shore of Lake Michigan, was the other site under consideration.

“I think the major factor was getting off to what I would describe as a fair-weather start in this championship game,” Delany said of the decision to choose Lucas Oil Stadium over Soldier Field.

Delany added the decision to hold the first five title games at Lucas Oil Stadium did not rule out the event one day being held in an open-air facility.

“We wanted to get a great foundation for the game, for our fans, for television,” he said. “And then after we established that I think we can make other judgments about whether we need or want to go to an outdoor venue.”

Big Ten officials also announced the men’s basketball tournament is to rotate between the United Center in Chicago and Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis beginning in 2012-’13.

The tournament is set to be held in Indianapolis again this season but then will be held in Chicago in 2012-’13 and alternate through 2015-’16.

The women’s basketball tournament also is set to rotate between Illinois and Indiana. The tournament this season is to be held at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, a suburb of Chicago. It will be held at Conseco Fieldhouse in 2012-’13, then alternate through 2015-’16.

The news that the first five Big Ten football title games are to be held indoors should please Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez and football coach Bret Bielema. Both said last week during a stop in Milwaukee they would prefer to play the title game at an indoor facility.

“I know there are people that are traditionalists and say football should be outside,” Alvarez said. “I don’t think that is necessarily true. My whole life has been football and I don’t think anybody said you had to be uncomfortable in December.

“I think you should send your best team to represent you in a BCS game. I don’t want the elements to be a factor in that. Because the elements won’t be a factor in the (bowl) game.

“I have strong feelings … I’ve seen some of the Bears games where you can’t kick an extra point. The ball is blown (back). I don’t want to play a championship in that.”

Bielema added: “I would rather go indoors, but everybody is telling me I’m nuts. I do like the elements in the Big Ten. That is part of the reason I love being in this conference, because I think our style of offense is better for games in November, bad-weather games.

“But I also think that if you get to the Big Ten championship game … I want the fans to enjoy it.”


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