Lucas Oil Stadium has been extended as the site of the CCG for two more years, through 2024.
In 2024, the B1G tournament will be held at the Target Center in Minneapolis. In 2023 it is in Chicago.
I like how the Big Ten occasionally mixes it up from Chicago and Indy. Minneapolis is a great town, I'll probably go.
Shoot. Sorry, Quo. I didn't realize you already had a thread on this. Mods, would you mind merging? Apologies.
Should the B1G ever consider the football championship in Detroit? Or too big an advantage to Michigan if they get there or too big a disadvantage to Ohio State if they get there? Also might not want to play prime time in Detroit, maybe play it at noon then.
(04-20-2022 02:57 PM)schmolik Wrote: [ -> ]Should the B1G ever consider the football championship in Detroit? Or too big an advantage to Michigan if they get there or too big a disadvantage to Ohio State if they get there? Also might not want to play prime time in Detroit, maybe play it at noon then.
I don't think it should be eliminated from consideration. Between Indianapolis, Detroit and Minneapolis, the Big Ten has three modern indoor facilities that can easily host the game. Each stadium seats over 65,000 people.
(04-20-2022 03:24 PM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-20-2022 02:57 PM)schmolik Wrote: [ -> ]Should the B1G ever consider the football championship in Detroit? Or too big an advantage to Michigan if they get there or too big a disadvantage to Ohio State if they get there? Also might not want to play prime time in Detroit, maybe play it at noon then.
I don't think it should be eliminated from consideration. Between Indianapolis, Detroit and Minneapolis, the Big Ten has three modern indoor facilities that can easily host the game. Each stadium seats over 65,000 people.
Detroit can host if they can put together a bid. 1) If Michigan isn't in it, it's close enough to Ohio that Buckeye fans can easily take over the stadium. 2) Ford Field has hosted a Super Bowl..at night. The Tigers play night games a block away all season. There is much of Detroit that isn't safe after dark, but the area near the stadiums is secure enough for events at night.
Minneapolis would be a fine host city, as well. The Gophers may never make that game, but Iowa and Wisconsin make it often.
But if the Bears get their new indoor stadium on the Arlington Park property near O'Hare airport, that becomes the primary location for the B1G championship game.
(04-20-2022 01:38 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote: [ -> ]I like how the Big Ten occasionally mixes it up from Chicago and Indy. Minneapolis is a great town, I'll probably go.
I think the cities you mention are all way better than the eastern excursions to DC and New York.
I get what the B1G is doing there, but for the fan, those are just not B1G cities. Indy, Chicago and Minneapolis are.
(04-20-2022 01:49 PM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote: [ -> ]Shoot. Sorry, Quo. I didn't realize you already had a thread on this. Mods, would you mind merging? Apologies.
No worries, LOL. :)
FWIW, I think you can delete a thread-starting post, as long as nobody has replied to it.
A roofed stadium in Chicago would definitely become the new CCG hub.
(04-20-2022 02:57 PM)schmolik Wrote: [ -> ]Should the B1G ever consider the football championship in Detroit? Or too big an advantage to Michigan if they get there or too big a disadvantage to Ohio State if they get there? Also might not want to play prime time in Detroit, maybe play it at noon then.
Eh, I don't think that would be an issue given that if OSU is playing in Detroit it means that MSU/UM are not. Buckeye fans travel well enough that it would be a moot point.
Imo they won't move the football title game from Indy (no reason to move it to Ford Field, a fine venue but nothing that warrants a switch) until the new Bears dome gets built in the next decade or so. At that point the title game is getting moved to Chicago and will stay there for a generation, like the SEC and Atlanta.
I’m a total Chicago partisan to the core, but I honestly wouldn’t be shocked if the Big Ten CCG stays in Indy even after a Bears dome gets built.
I’ll give the urban planners of Indianapolis credit: the city may not be a very walkable place for the vast majority of its residents that actually live there, but its downtown core is one of the most walkable and vibrant concentrations for sports venues with directly accessible hotels, restaurants/bars and other amenities as you’ll find anywhere in the country. Even the current Chicago venues of Soldier Field and United Center seem like islands for the typical tourist despite the city being a waaaaay denser and more walkable place overall compared to Indy. Heck, while NYC has MSG in the heart of Manhattan, its football stadium is way out in the Jersey suburbs. Indy really did a great job in looking at the placement of its sports venues in a holistic manner to make sure they were integrated well into downtown.
(04-20-2022 06:18 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote: [ -> ]I’ll give the urban planners of Indianapolis credit: the city may not be a very walkable place for the vast majority of its residents that actually live there, but its downtown core is one of the most walkable and vibrant concentrations for sports venues with directly accessible hotels, restaurants/bars and other amenities as you’ll find anywhere in the country. Even the current Chicago venues of Soldier Field and United Center seem like islands for the typical tourist despite the city being a waaaaay denser and more walkable place overall compared to Indy. Heck, while NYC has MSG in the heart of Manhattan, its football stadium is way out in the Jersey suburbs. Indy really did a great job in looking at the placement of its sports venues in a holistic manner to make sure they were integrated well into downtown.
And then you have Downtown Minneapolis, where the Target Center is on the west side, US Bank Stadium is on the east side, and yet you can walk between them without going outside! (Which is actually terrible for downtown street life, don't get me started).
Also, for those who don't know: Prince got his start in the First Ave nightclub, which is kitty-corner to the Target Center.
So... alternating Chicago and Indy for the Big Ten? One site hosts the CCG and the other hosts a mid-December play-in featuring the #2 team from the Big Ten East?
(04-20-2022 06:18 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote: [ -> ]I’m a total Chicago partisan to the core, but I honestly wouldn’t be shocked if the Big Ten CCG stays in Indy even after a Bears dome gets built.
I’ll give the urban planners of Indianapolis credit: the city may not be a very walkable place for the vast majority of its residents that actually live there, but its downtown core is one of the most walkable and vibrant concentrations for sports venues with directly accessible hotels, restaurants/bars and other amenities as you’ll find anywhere in the country. Even the current Chicago venues of Soldier Field and United Center seem like islands for the typical tourist despite the city being a waaaaay denser and more walkable place overall compared to Indy. Heck, while NYC has MSG in the heart of Manhattan, its football stadium is way out in the Jersey suburbs. Indy really did a great job in looking at the placement of its sports venues in a holistic manner to make sure they were integrated well into downtown.
I agree with your comments about Indy, but imo the Big Ten is almost destined to move their CCG to Arlington Park (if/when the stadium is built) based on the money. Lucas Oil seats "only" 65K and will be close to 20 years old by the time a Bears stadium opens, a new facility would have much greater premium seating and overall capacity to rake in the cash. Throw in the fact that you have ORD down the road for easier air travel and it's a no brainer for Big Ten execs if I'm in their position.
That leaves Indy with two true advantages: tradition (worth little compared to the factors above) and their downtown (very nice, but any Bears stadium will almost certainly include a mega development next door that would be more than adequate). I wouldn't die of shock if they kept the game in Indy, but I would be very surprised.
(04-21-2022 10:00 PM)Love and Honor Wrote: [ -> ] (04-20-2022 06:18 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote: [ -> ]I’m a total Chicago partisan to the core, but I honestly wouldn’t be shocked if the Big Ten CCG stays in Indy even after a Bears dome gets built.
I’ll give the urban planners of Indianapolis credit: the city may not be a very walkable place for the vast majority of its residents that actually live there, but its downtown core is one of the most walkable and vibrant concentrations for sports venues with directly accessible hotels, restaurants/bars and other amenities as you’ll find anywhere in the country. Even the current Chicago venues of Soldier Field and United Center seem like islands for the typical tourist despite the city being a waaaaay denser and more walkable place overall compared to Indy. Heck, while NYC has MSG in the heart of Manhattan, its football stadium is way out in the Jersey suburbs. Indy really did a great job in looking at the placement of its sports venues in a holistic manner to make sure they were integrated well into downtown.
I agree with your comments about Indy, but imo the Big Ten is almost destined to move their CCG to Arlington Park (if/when the stadium is built) based on the money. Lucas Oil seats "only" 65K and will be close to 20 years old by the time a Bears stadium opens, a new facility would have much greater premium seating and overall capacity to rake in the cash. Throw in the fact that you have ORD down the road for easier air travel and it's a no brainer for Big Ten execs if I'm in their position.
That leaves Indy with two true advantages: tradition (worth little compared to the factors above) and their downtown (very nice, but any Bears stadium will almost certainly include a mega development next door that would be more than adequate). I wouldn't die of shock if they kept the game in Indy, but I would be very surprised.
Well Chicago isn't the permanent host for the men's basketball championship and never has been despite Chicago's built in advantage of being a more populous city and better airport access. They are even going to Minneapolis. Certainly a "new stadium" would be a benefit but if the Big Ten thought a new stadium was a selling point why didn't they take care of US Bank Stadium when it opened? No doubt Chicago will get some interest but I don't see it becoming the Big Ten's Atlanta or Indianapolis. I'm surprised the Big Ten hasn't moved to other Midwestern cities sooner for the Big Ten Championship game in both men's basketball and football, they must like Indianapolis. What was wrong with Minneapolis for the football championship or Detroit (and if Michigan or Michigan State had made the title game it would have been a way better atmosphere than Indy where Indiana or Purdue have to my knowledge never made it)?
On an unrelated note ...
... downtown Indianapolis is hugely appealing. It's very flat, thus making biking and walking easy. It offers three large grocery stores (a major plus) and it's reasonably safe. I'm a fan of downtown Indy.
(04-22-2022 06:52 AM)schmolik Wrote: [ -> ] (04-21-2022 10:00 PM)Love and Honor Wrote: [ -> ]I agree with your comments about Indy, but imo the Big Ten is almost destined to move their CCG to Arlington Park (if/when the stadium is built) based on the money. Lucas Oil seats "only" 65K and will be close to 20 years old by the time a Bears stadium opens, a new facility would have much greater premium seating and overall capacity to rake in the cash. Throw in the fact that you have ORD down the road for easier air travel and it's a no brainer for Big Ten execs if I'm in their position.
That leaves Indy with two true advantages: tradition (worth little compared to the factors above) and their downtown (very nice, but any Bears stadium will almost certainly include a mega development next door that would be more than adequate). I wouldn't die of shock if they kept the game in Indy, but I would be very surprised.
Well Chicago isn't the permanent host for the men's basketball championship and never has been despite Chicago's built in advantage of being a more populous city and better airport access. They are even going to Minneapolis. Certainly a "new stadium" would be a benefit but if the Big Ten thought a new stadium was a selling point why didn't they take care of US Bank Stadium when it opened? No doubt Chicago will get some interest but I don't see it becoming the Big Ten's Atlanta or Indianapolis. I'm surprised the Big Ten hasn't moved to other Midwestern cities sooner for the Big Ten Championship game in both men's basketball and football, they must like Indianapolis. What was wrong with Minneapolis for the football championship or Detroit (and if Michigan or Michigan State had made the title game it would have been a way better atmosphere than Indy where Indiana or Purdue have to my knowledge never made it)?
True, but it's a much different situation the Big Ten has in attracting fourteen fan bases to a multi-day event instead of two for a single game. For basketball it makes sense to rotate a bit between arenas of similar age/capacity/quality (especially since Indy is a big basketball town in a huge basketball state), but that wouldn't be the case with a Bears stadium that would be significantly newer (and likely much larger) than other Rust Belt domes.
I doubt Minneapolis was seriously considered when their stadium opened based on geography alone, you're basically forcing the vast majority of fans from the East champ to fly in (drive is 8+ hours from the nearest schools) and it doesn't have nearly as many local Big Ten alums in the area as Chicago.
Not sure why other cities like Detroit have never gotten a look, other than it seems to me that conferences with neutral football venues like to keep their games in the same city (SEC in Atlanta, ACC in Charlotte, MAC in Detroit; the Big 12 moved theirs around a lot before realignment but have settled into Arlington, Pac 12 moved to Vegas because Santa Clara wasn't working). Perhaps they need to book stadium dates further in advance than arenas so it behooves them to sign multi-year deals at the same venue. I don't think atmosphere has ever been an issue, even without IU/Purdue they've basically sold out every game except the year they had third-place Wisconsin (OSU/Penn State on sanctions) versus Nebraska (farthest from Indy of any team besides Rutgers).
I forgot Ford Field hosts the MAC Championship Game every year. Now it is usually on a Friday night but that is a short turnaround to have two games in back days and a noon kickoff after a Friday night game would be a non starter. Now if the Big Ten went to Detroit and said they wanted to play there maybe 5 years in a row, I'm sure Ford Field would tell the MAC to take a hike. But one year they're better off allowing the MAC "permanently".
(04-22-2022 06:53 PM)schmolik Wrote: [ -> ]I forgot Ford Field hosts the MAC Championship Game every year. Now it is usually on a Friday night but that is a short turnaround to have two games in back days and a noon kickoff after a Friday night game would be a non starter. Now if the Big Ten went to Detroit and said they wanted to play there maybe 5 years in a row, I'm sure Ford Field would tell the MAC to take a hike. But one year they're better off allowing the MAC "permanently".
The Falcons play a home game at 1:00 the day after the SEC championship game. The Big Ten could easily do it the day after the MAC game.
(04-22-2022 06:53 PM)schmolik Wrote: [ -> ]I forgot Ford Field hosts the MAC Championship Game every year. Now it is usually on a Friday night but that is a short turnaround to have two games in back days and a noon kickoff after a Friday night game would be a non starter. Now if the Big Ten went to Detroit and said they wanted to play there maybe 5 years in a row, I'm sure Ford Field would tell the MAC to take a hike. But one year they're better off allowing the MAC "permanently".
Or the MAC could just set it up that every year the Big Ten CCC is in Detroit, the MAC game would move to Indianoplis.