Indy to Host First Big 10 Championship Game
Indianapolis has been selected to host the Big 10 Championship game in 2011.
Part of the reason for choosing Indy is the fact that they have hosted the men's and women's Big 10 basketball tournaments. Also, Indy will be hosting the Super Bowl in 2012, shortly after the Big 10 Championship game will be played.
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They already have the basketball tournaments?
The Big Ten needs to spread the love a little bit and have the game somewhere else.
Delaney said...
that this would be temporary for one year, and they will most likely consider some other sites during that year. He did not mention any specific sites, but I’m pretty sure Chicago will be considered.
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
Indy is the obvious choice...
…..though I’d love to see Chicago and hate to see Detroit or Pittsburgh.
I’m still partial to the idea of doing it in the B10 stadia on a rotational basis. First of all, it’s kind of homey and classy to do it that way. Second of all, it seems like a B10 thing to do—it’s different than what the others do. Lastly, it gives good PR to teams who will probably never get in the game—Indiana, Minny, those sorts of teams.
"If you want to become a man--come to Iowa" All American IOWA LB PAT ANGERER, whose best friend is a dog.
Lambeau Field
in November would be pretty badass too.
by KentuckyThunderPussy on Aug 5, 2010 6:48 PM CDT up reply actions
The new stadium, probably
That’s the only thing that really sets it apart from Chicago. Both are big cities that are close to the center of the league geographically. Both sites have a good chance of being neutral site; when you look at all the teams in Indiana and Illinois, the team with the best chance of making it to the CCG is jNWU (side note: is that pronounced “jay en double-yu yu” or “jay en triple-yu”?). So yeah, it’s basically a neutral site for at least the immediate future.
Indy and Chicago both have hosted the Big Ten basketball tournament. I wouldn’t be too surprised if they just switch it between Lucas Oil Stadium and Soldier Field every year.
Soldier Field is too small
It only holds 61,500 people. Can it be expanded, though?
Me gustan los estados unidos.
Size isn't an issue
Umm…
Seriously, they last thing the Big 10 wants is a Big East show of half empty seats. It’s tougher to fill for the CCG because there isn’t a lot of time to prep for it. Sure, lots of fans will go if they can, but it’s not like a bowl game that you have a month to plan for. Some years we won’t know until the week before, meaning that travel plans and tickets may have to come together very quickly.
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Aug 5, 2010 8:25 PM CDT up reply actions
Soldier Field… Can it be expanded, though?
Yes, but you have to wait for a second space ship to visit earth and land there.
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Aug 5, 2010 8:56 PM CDT up reply actions
Space ships
Does the second space ship also look like a giant bedpan?
by BradBanks4ever on Aug 5, 2010 9:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Still, though
There are a good number (I assume, anyway) of Big Ten fans and alums who would come regardless of the teams playing who live in and around Chicago. I don’t think 100,000+ seats is a good idea, but I’d shoot for upper 60’s into the mid-70s.
Me gustan los estados unidos.
I'm not sure that many neutrals would turn out.
I’m not sure we’d want that anyway; good for attendance, sure, but not so great for atmosphere possibly.
The problem with shooting for stadiums in the 65K-75K range in B10 country is that they all have caveats. The Metrodome (64K) is, well, the Metrodome – a dump. Lambeau (73K) has logistical issues with that many out-of-towners coming. Cleveland Browns Stadium (73K) is in Cleveland. Ford Field (65K) is in Detroit. Paul Brown Stadium (66K) is in Cincinnati. Heinz Field (65K) has a godawful turf… and it feels a little weird to use a stadium that a Big East team uses anyway.
Lucas Oil does seat 66K and the location isn’t terrible. I guess.
Personally, I’d like Soldier Field, capacity be damned. Tickets might be tougher to get, but it would certainly look better if tickets to a B10 title game are a hot commodity rather than something you can’t even give away (see: ACC title game tix).
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
I think that's the perfect size for a Championship Game.
Considering whoever participates in a BTCG will also be headed to a bowl in little over a month’s time it seems a bit greedy to have designs on 100K + stadiums. I completely agree w/ chitownhawkeye; empty seats are a very bad thing, let’s not get carried away.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Aug 6, 2010 10:10 AM CDT up reply actions
Only problem (well three or four actually)
that I have with rotating Big 10 stadiums are: Evanston, Bloomington, and Champ-bana.
by shada's revenge on Aug 6, 2010 3:21 AM CDT up reply actions
Bleh
Play it at Soldier Field. More central, more historic venue, and no chance of them deciding to wuss out and leave the roof shut.
Well, everything except historic.
Although I guess the first site of the alien takeover of stadiums is quite historic.
"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here"
by ReadingRambler on Aug 5, 2010 9:46 PM CDT up reply actions
Yes
Yes it does. And the historical Society agreed with us when they striped it of it’s “historical landmark” tag.
The bears really fucked up on that stadium.
The Bears
fuck up just about everything. Trade your leading rusher. Take one of the best return men in history and make him not be a returner. Can’t draft worth a crap, most of their trades are for has-beens or guys who never came close tho their potential while hanging on to dinosaurs.
I’m a Bears fan but lately I just treat them as a comedy troop lately. It’s the only way I can enjoy their games.
"If you need a rah-rah speech at halftime, you’re playing the wrong sport." - Pat Angerer
Wasn't the local government involved with that mess too?
"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here"
by ReadingRambler on Aug 6, 2010 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions
I call B.S.
I’ve been to “old” and “new” soldier a bunch of times. New is much better. It may look strange, but there isn’t a bad seat in the house and the bathrooms don’t smell like roadkill.
If there a bad part to the experience it’s that you have to hoof it everywhere. But even that is a product of 9/11.
Excuse me for my bellicosity. And spelling. Bellicosity and spelling.
by Blackheartnopants on Aug 6, 2010 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions
He's probably
just referring to the appearance.
For those who have not seen it in person, the new soldier field looks like a bed pan shaped UFO landed in the middle of the old soldier field. It’s just ridiculous. And you do not get the full scope of the effect from TV.
"If you need a rah-rah speech at halftime, you’re playing the wrong sport." - Pat Angerer
But that's the problem:
Why couldn’t the Bears have built that new, fabulous stadium (and it is fabulous inside) on a completely different site with a new facade? Why make a mockery of the old structure (and it is a mockery) by imposing an ultra-modern exterior onto a preexisting neoclassical building?
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Aug 6, 2010 12:34 PM CDT up reply actions
Your mom's face is neoclassical.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
She looks like Athena?
Excuse me for my bellicosity. And spelling. Bellicosity and spelling.
by Blackheartnopants on Aug 6, 2010 3:10 PM CDT up reply actions
Athena is Classical
Athena DeCrime is Neoclassical.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Aug 6, 2010 4:41 PM CDT up reply actions
I just don't get that po'ed about it.
The Bears used to play at Wrigley Field. If tradition is important, why don’t we go back to that?
Hell, pro football used to be played in train yards. Why don’t we go back to that?
I understand — and respect — your points, I’m just left with an underwhelming feeling of “meh” about the whole issue. On the whole, I think fans are better off in the new stadium.
Excuse me for my bellicosity. And spelling. Bellicosity and spelling.
by Blackheartnopants on Aug 6, 2010 1:09 PM CDT up reply actions
It would bother less if I were a Bears fan
but as I don’t really care about the NFL and am a lover of Chicago architecture the whole thing didn’t sit that well with me. Plus, I actually used to go to Soldier Field to see the Fire play (seriously) and while I prefer that team’s new digs, I could love the old Soldier Field for all the same reasons I love Wrigley (although I also hate Wrigley to some degree).
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Aug 6, 2010 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions
Soldier aside, Chicago is ...
a living museum for architecture and engineering lovers.
Excuse me for my bellicosity. And spelling. Bellicosity and spelling.
by Blackheartnopants on Aug 6, 2010 3:11 PM CDT up reply actions
Most large cities...
have a decent-to-nice offering for architecture.
I may have mentioned it before, but there is a cool website that even shows some of the neat things you could’ve seen in Detroit, had not most of it fallen into abject disrepair.
http://www.detroityes.com/home.htm
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Aug 6, 2010 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions
In fairness...
at the time, I’m willing to bet that real estate values would have forced the Bears to build a new stadium in a crappy part of town, or way out in a suburb.
Also, Soldier Field is (was?) owned by the Chicago Park District. So, if the Bears move away instead of renovate, then Soldier Field probably becomes a poorly maintained relic, instead of an odd-looking cash cow. Also, while there don’t appear to be a ton of restaurants and similar businesses, I’m guessing what is near there is still in business because the Bears stayed.
Finally it is still better-looking than some modern stadiums around the world. Here are some examples that I think look like crap:
Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany:
Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa:
Beijing Olympic Stadium in China
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Aug 6, 2010 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions
The first two stadia you've chosen (especially Allianz)
are actually incredible venues whose aesthetics fit in very well with their cultures and surroundings. If they were dropped on the Chicago Lakefront they would be eyesores…just like Soldier Field. I can’t comment on the last one because the Chinese won’t let me see it.
Also, yes, the Chicago Park District continues to own Soldier Field. While it’s nothing but conjecture on my part, I have a feeling the venue would continue to do just fine by increasing the number of U2-sized concerts and friendly soccer games (every time a Latin American club/country plays there it sells out) held there.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Aug 6, 2010 2:09 PM CDT up reply actions
They should play it at the Rose Bowl
to ensure more than one win there every decade.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Aug 5, 2010 7:39 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
This is a terrible decision. Why not go all the way and use the Metrodome?
It’s not about the game and the fans, its about TV and the $.
They’re holding the Big Ten championship in a city without a Big Ten team (or even a decent bar), and they ensure that the roof will close if there’s a little snow or something.
Mr. Boh Knows ...
I say they play it in Des Moines next. I mean, why not, right? Does Des Moines have great hotels too?
I really hope this isn’t final.
"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here"
by ReadingRambler on Aug 5, 2010 9:44 PM CDT up reply actions
Not Really
There are a couple OK ones downtown, but eh. Where would it even be played here? Wells Fargo somehow?
I can see it now...
“We’re coming to you live from Valley Stadium in WDM, Iowa, host of The Big Twelven Conference Championship, brought to you by RoTel and Barbasol”
Sad to say but I kind of like the ring of that.
Nice
Next up: Super Bowl, in all of the glory of DSM
Fried Oreos and meat on sticks, with Brother Trucker playing the halftime show
Brings a tear to my eye.
How about Davenport?
Brady Street Stadium. It has STADIUM right in the name. Sweet, huh?
That place could hold thousands of fans. Plus it would be kick ass to setup lawn chairs on the track, have a cooler and a grill, and watch the game. Afterwards we can head down to the riverboats and do some gambling. And there is a Denny’s right down the street.
"If you need a rah-rah speech at halftime, you’re playing the wrong sport." - Pat Angerer
Or we could play it in horrible or mediocre cities.
Youngstown
Harrisburg
Cedar Rapids
South Bend
East Lansing
Champaign-Urbana
Fargo
"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here"
by ReadingRambler on Aug 5, 2010 9:45 PM CDT up reply actions
Perhaps they should just do a simulation.
And then the audience could pretend it is in Indy and pretend to be having fun inside a parking ramp with a retractable roof.
Next, they’ll choose a site down south.
Mr. Boh Knows ...
JerryWorld has already submitted a bid.
Even the retractable roofs are bigger in Texas.
by The Mexican't on Aug 5, 2010 10:29 PM CDT up reply actions
YES.
Cedar Rapids. The largest stadium of any kind here is the US Cellular Center, which holds about ten people for basketball games. I’ve always thought it would be the perfect place for the Quaker Bowl, in which Minnesota and Iowa State could be permanent competitors!
Me gustan los estados unidos.
I'd suggest adding the 7th circle of hell...
…otherwise known as Rockford.
Life - it's bigger...bigger than you and you are not me.
At least they have a descent record shop in hell.
by Eyeheartfreedumb on Aug 6, 2010 9:45 AM CDT up reply actions
pun intended?
"Kittens give Morbo gas."
by Bucketochicken on Aug 6, 2010 10:11 AM CDT up reply actions
I take issue with Cedar Rapids being compared to Champ-Bana...
…and Fargo is much better (more fun, less douchebags) than any of the others on your list.
by Eyeheartfreedumb on Aug 6, 2010 9:45 AM CDT up reply actions
Soldier Field's turf
is beyond awful, especially that late into the season.
Haven’t they re-sodded it a few different times over the last couple years?
by The Barea Bunch on Aug 5, 2010 11:10 PM CDT reply actions
As much as I'd love to say Lambeau...
Lucas Oil Field is the only place to host this game. Excellent excellent facilities, having the ability to have an outdoor game if possible, and in a great city to host such an event. I visited Indianapolis for the Big Ten Basketball Tournament in 2009 and they did an amazing job as the host city. I’d be pumped to visit there again when Iowa is on top of the Big Twelven West in a couple years.
How on earth is Indy "the only place?"
Please explain this as I’m fairly certain Chicago is a better, bigger city (We’ll assume Chicago has a higher amount of corrupt politicans, of course) with an outdoor stadium that isn’t bland and boring. New Soldier Field is just ugly, not boring.
"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here"
by ReadingRambler on Aug 6, 2010 7:35 AM CDT up reply actions
We’ll assume Chicago has a higher amount of corrupt politicans
You really don’t have to “assume” that.
"If you need a rah-rah speech at halftime, you’re playing the wrong sport." - Pat Angerer
Actually they're just higher profile...
…now we better stop talking about this, Jacobi’s coming.
by Eyeheartfreedumb on Aug 6, 2010 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions
That's not really political
since all measurables place Illinois just behind New Jersey as the country’s most corrupt state.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Aug 6, 2010 10:12 AM CDT up reply actions
Really?
I would say that the state that has indicted two of its last three governors and whose major city takes its nickname (the Windy City) from its blowhard politicians takes a backseat to no one.
by Abbas_Cincinnatus on Aug 6, 2010 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions
You would think
but there are several different rankings to be released in the last few years that would indicate otherwise. The first one is fun because all but one SEC state is named before a single Big Ten state although It’s complete horseshit because Illinois is almost at the end of the list.
This list is more credible, probably because they didn’t even bother to rank them but just give us a “greatest hits”. I can’t really argue with any of it. Yet this one seems to have the most teeth. Illinois is #5…which is the highest ranking Illinois has had in a while! Go Illini!
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Aug 6, 2010 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions
Politics in Newark...
have been pretty brutally corrupt. See the movie “Street Fight.”
Let’s not forget Detroit, also.
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Aug 6, 2010 1:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Maybe "the only place" was a little bit hyperbolic...
But I know that the Big Ten’s relationship with Indy is a good one, there are top notch facilities, and it’s in a central location. I probably should’ve said the best place.
I think the ability to have an indoor game in case of horrible weather conditions is the biggest thing. As said above, Soldier Field has awful turf by December. I have nightmares of an Indiana/Iowa game-like wind just destroying a team’s chance for a National Title.
I don't even agree that it's the best place.
It seems to me that the BigTen just took the easy way out and said, “Fuck it, let’s do it indoors, and if it’s nice we’ll open the roof.”
by The Mexican't on Aug 6, 2010 10:01 AM CDT up reply actions
If a Big Ten team can’t win the conference title in bad weather in December, they don’t deserve to play for a national title. Besides, how many domes are there in regular season play around here? Zero. Iowa has to go to Minnesota in late November this year.
"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here"
by ReadingRambler on Aug 6, 2010 11:27 AM CDT up reply actions
You are seriously mixed up in the head,
what with talking about playing football outdoors “if possible” and calling Indianapolis “a great city”. Spend 27 seconds in Rome? Indy is no longer a great city. Miami, Dallas, LA are no longer great cities.
This is pathetic middle market pandering, naming Indianapolis and a parking garage with a moving roof as the venue.
Mr. Boh Knows ...
Bellanca...
have you been to LucasOil Field? I have not. I won’t argue about whether or not downtown Indy is fun, because I’ve only driven around Indy, not spent any time there.
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Aug 6, 2010 1:40 PM CDT up reply actions
WhiteMagic has a point
About Soldier’s turf in December. I want a game that in no way resembles the Mud Bowl of 2010. That said, if there’s a way to mitigate that and add seating to Soldier, you couldn’t ask for a better venue (save for Lambeau, and logistics would be too much of a bitch there). Oh, and Soldier Field is ugly from the outside. I think that’s been covered once or twice.
Me gustan los estados unidos.
The Mud Bowl
Was because they played games there three days apart, they tried to re-sod the entire field, and it poured the whole time between.
AFAIK, Soldier Field has never had serious turf problems of that nature. Just make sure the Bears are away that week.
If I had to guess...
since Iowa played Northern Illinois on September 1 of 2007, then the Bears and NIU probably did not shell out for good turf just before that game.
The turf at Soldier that day looked like it had not been watered much, and it was a bit spotty. Certainly not as bad as Orlando Mud Bowl, but still a bit disappointing to Hawkeye fans (and probably more so to the team and coaches).
Here was the best pic I could find:
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Aug 8, 2010 11:32 PM CDT up reply actions
Delany doesn't usually make this level of mistake
Going to Indy on short notice to watch your team play in conditions that are not replecated by a single team in the conference for the chance to play outdoors (Rose Bowl) is just a total misfire. I am wondering which schools in the conference even like this decision?
"I wish you luck with a capital 'F'" - The Real Elvis.
It's only one year
Indy probably presented a really nice package and with all the other work going on to get ready to have Nebraska join the fun, they may have decided to just take the easy way out. And others have noted that they did a great job with the BX basketball tourney, so Delaney figured they first championship game will go equally well.
I’m a proponent of Chicago as the permanent site, but if you live around the area, you hear about all kinds of problems trying to get stuff like this arranged. The reasons why would take us into the realm of Adam’s banhammer, but suffice to say that nobody shoots themselves in the foot just to spite their ass like Chicago does.
"If you need a rah-rah speech at halftime, you’re playing the wrong sport." - Pat Angerer
THIS.
Everyone is freaking out and acting like we are going to be forced to live with this decision for years. It’s one year. The league is under pressure to a) decide a site for a championship game, b) come up with divisions and c) finish the 12-month expansion exploration (remember that old thing?). Considering the site of a championship game is the element to have the least long-term impact of any of those issues it was a wise move to simply sign a one year deal and come back to it next season after the heftier issues have been sorted through.
Which brings us to issue ‘c’. Has anyone considered that if the Big Ten decides to continue their expansion push that it could be short-sighted to sign a long-term deal in any one city if places like NYC, DC, St. Louis, etc. are on the table?
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Aug 6, 2010 10:18 AM CDT up reply actions
Kyle, freaking out is fun.
"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here"
by ReadingRambler on Aug 6, 2010 11:28 AM CDT up reply actions
Also...
New Soldier Field is the type of place that you kind of need to know the drill in order to effectively tailgate/get to the game/get out afterward.
Can you imagine 55k to 65k fans from different schools, many of whom may have not been there, trying to figure out where to park, set up the tent, walk to the stadium, and then find the highway after? Add the fact that many will be very drunk. Add the possibility of snow and lots of walking around to the mix.
If they do ever have it at Soldier, they will need to provide a detailed guide/packet of papers that help fans figure out how to go to the title game without creating a lot of problems.
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Aug 6, 2010 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions
Chicagoland is home to tens of thousands of Big Ten grads/alums.
While many would have to travel there, just as many would a) already be familiar with the area due to semi-annual invasions of jNW or b) already live there and know what’s up. The only schools whose fans would fail to fit into either category would be Minnesota and…Minnesota. I don’t think you have much to worry about.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Aug 7, 2010 12:38 AM CDT up reply actions
Fair enough.
But let us not forget what happened the last time a bunch of Gophers invaded a place that was not prepared for them:
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Aug 7, 2010 2:26 AM CDT up reply actions
Well it's a good thing Bill Murray is a Chicagoan.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Aug 7, 2010 9:06 AM CDT up reply actions
Adam's banhammer
It sounds like the Book of Genesis and Norse mythology had a baby.
Me gustan los estados unidos.
Indiana, as horrible as it sounds
Is really the best bet. You really don’t want this in Ohio or Illannoy.
Most importantly...
How does the Mandenberg feel about playing at Lucas Oil Stadium? He’ll be the one playing there after all.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Indy Works
I’ve lived in both Chicago and Indy, and Indy, for fans is better. If you’ve been to the Big Ten bball tourney in both places then you would know why. Indy has a smaller downtown making it easy to get anywhere fast. Indy also has tunnels connecting the mall and sports venues with hotels so if it’s cold you don’t have to go outside. The game would be a huge deal in Indy and they will roll out the red carpet for fans. In Chicago it would be just another event. The Indy atmosphere is much more collegial. Plus if you really want to lay pin the elements they can open the roof on the oil can.
And you can take that to the bank.
by Hawkeye X on Aug 7, 2010 8:40 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
Indy has no desire to open the roof and let the teams "play in the elements"
If there’s a forecast for snow, then the dome will close.
by The Mexican't on Aug 7, 2010 3:26 PM CDT up reply actions
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