Big Ten Title Game to Indianapolis

[hawkeyescott]

Atlanta is on the eastern edge of the SEC footprint.
Making the Big Ten title game will probably be a huge deal for most fanbases,and they will travel anywhere,willingly,to attend the game to see their team vy for the Big Ten title. Putting in permanantly in the ''Leaders'' division locale is not fair. At least Chicago is a neutral site,with NW and Ill,the ''local'' schools. But then, it is nice and close for OSU,who the league wants to designate the permanant participant anyway,so I guess I can see their point. Just rotate it between the ''Big 4'' annually...afterall,they drive the whole divisional setup anyway. Must split them equally so that Neb,Mich,OSU or PSU are always in this game.

Indianapolis isn't across the country and you can get from any school to Indianapolis in a day and from most within a few hours.

Here is roughly the distance and time (average of 70 mph) it would take to get to Indianapolis from each school:

Nebraska: 636 miles, 9 hours
Iowa: 307 miles, 4.5 hours
Ohio State: 175 miles, 2.5 hours
Penn St: 511 miles, 7.5 hours
Michigan: 262 miles, 3.75 hours
Mich St: 255 miles, 3.5 hours
Minnesota: 592 miles, 8.5 hours
Purdue: 65 miles, 1 hour
Indiana: 50 miles, half an hour
Illinois: 121 miles, 2 hours
NW: 180 miles, 2.5 hours
Wisc: 330 miles, 4.75 hours

Other than 3 schools, the longest drive is 4.5 to 5 hours, not that tough to do in a day.

 

[DuffMan]

What you don't seem to understand is the game will have the same media impact REGARDLESS of where it is held. The game could be played in New York City (population 18.9 million) or York Nebraska (population 14,991) and the media impact would be EXACTLY the same. It's about TV viewers which is really only dependant on the time slot its in, what it runs against, and the teams playing in the game. The venue or location is a non-factor regarding media impact.

Lastly people need to understand that the B10 title game is MORE about showcasing the league and positioning the B10 for the best bowl game possible than it is about finding out who the best football team is. Once you understand that it only follows that the game needs to be played indoors in order to put the most asthetically pleasing football product on the field as is possible. The B10 already sufferes from being stereotyped as the big slow white guy league. Playing a low scoring sloppy football game in front of a national audience would be detrimental to the leage, and we would be better off not having the game at all than to consistently put that product in front of the nation.

I've seen countless field goal fests played between the bears and minnesota outdoors on soldier field in December. I don't want to see that be the B10 championship game.

 

[JHHawk]

The winner of the Big Ten Title game will either be undefeated,and then will go straight to the NC game,or have a loss,and then will go to Pasadena,about 99% of the time. I do not think that being perceived as the ''slow-white guy league'' has hurt the Big Ten in terms of qualifying for a BCS bowl(most bids of any conference). It is the TV power that garners those bids. I believe that this could change with the advent of the title game...but someone has to be chosen for those BCS bowls,right?

The SEC pattern for selection to the BCS is the winner of the title game is in,and then the second best record is in,not necessarily the loser of the title game. Like last year,it was not South Carolina,but Arkansas, the #2 team in the West behind champ Auburn.
I just think the Big Ten should embrace their identity as a cold weather,tough guy conference. We are not the Big 12 or SEC or ACC,or Pac Ten....we are THE BIG TEN,unique,not a video team conference. We play on real grass,and get dirty. I think there are plenty of fans who like football the old school way....just me. The Packers-Bears NFC title game drew record audience in Jan,in Chicago...guess it was a miracle.

 

[H8IAST8]

Indianapolis isn't across the country and you can get from any school to Indianapolis in a day and from most within a few hours.

Here is roughly the distance and time (average of 70 mph) it would take to get to Indianapolis from each school:

Nebraska: 636 miles, 9 hours
Iowa: 307 miles, 4.5 hours
Ohio State: 175 miles, 2.5 hours
Penn St: 511 miles, 7.5 hours
Michigan: 262 miles, 3.75 hours
Mich St: 255 miles, 3.5 hours
Minnesota: 592 miles, 8.5 hours
Purdue: 65 miles, 1 hour
Indiana: 50 miles, half an hour
Illinois: 121 miles, 2 hours
NW: 180 miles, 2.5 hours
Wisc: 330 miles, 4.75 hours

Other than 3 schools, the longest drive is 4.5 to 5 hours, not that tough to do in a day.

It takes longer than 4.5 hours to get to Indy from IC. Where are you getting your milage from the border?? Also, are you assuming people would drive 8 hours without stopping?

 

[hawkeyescott]

It takes longer than 4.5 hours to get to Indy from IC. Where are you getting your milage from the border?? Also, are you assuming people would drive 8 hours without stopping?

So maybe it is closer to 6 hours, my point was people can drive from any Big Ten school to Indianapolis in one day.

 

[CAARHawk]

Yep. 5.5 minimum to Indy from IC. I drove it several times.

 

[H8IAST8]

So maybe it is closer to 6 hours, my point was people can drive from any Big Ten school to Indianapolis in one day.

I'm sure some people will do it, but i would never drive to Indy from Lincoln or Minneapolis

 

[DodgerHawki]

Would have liked to see a rotation...

Not happy with this decision. Basically, by the beginning of 2013,Indy will have been the location for the last 7 Big Ten postseason events over the prior 6 years. Indy is the 8th biggest city in the Big Ten footprint,while Atlanta is the #1 city in the SEC footprint.
Exactly what concessions did Indy give to warrant the annual 20 million boost to their economy that the Big Ten title game will be? Did they offer cheap hotels for fans? Or give the Big Ten a million dollars or free use of the Lucas Center?

They should have gone to a rotation for the football game between Detroit,Minny,Chicago,Cleveland and Indy...only fair that other cities in the league get the benefit of this event. As for the outdoors factor...Army-Navy game is outdoors in Philly/Balt. every year and I watch that game,and weather is rarely a big deal. This hurts Iowa's chances in this game. Iowa does not flourish vs the OSU/PSU/Mich type teams in perfect conditions...they get higher rated,faster recruits. Iowa is a good mudder program. I have disliked our new turf for the same reason,and Iowa has not been near as good at home since the new turf has homogenized conditions for visiting teams. Soldier Field is an Iowa type of turf,in December. Not the nintendo-type blazers from the highly touted programs like OSU,Mich,PSU,and Neb. But then, I get the feeling that the Big Ten is all about those ''winningest programs in college football history'' (Mich,OSU,PSU,Neb) since the expansion anyway....they want to make everything as conducive for those teams to represent the Big Ten as humanly possible...the other 8 teams? Go squat,you peons!

with at least Detroit as that city has Ford Field which eliminates the poor-weather factor. Big 12 had issues with Arrowhead not being full when K-State played Oklahoma a few years ago in brutally cold weather. As others have said, they don't want a poor show on TV. I wouldn't discount Iowa's chances, when/if we are playing in the Big 10 title game. Iowa's good teams have been able to complete from a team speed standpoint. We played indoors in 2001 against Texas Tech and won. Again indoors in Texas and a 6-6 Iowa team lost to a 9-3 Texas team by 3 points. Brodell didn't look slow running past the Longhorn defenders in that one. We also have wins over Florida, LSU, South Carolina and GTech when the opponent's supposed superiority in speed was going to blow us out. Outdoors in Chicago in December might favor Iowa, but the field conditions at Soldier Field in December are a joke.

 

[MissouriHerk]

I think it should rotate every year. Wouldn't be hard and would make it interesting for fans who might like to go regardless of the opponents.

 

[bud2380]

Perfect, finally we can put this to bed for 4 years.

 

[HerkyDog]

Not happy with this decision. Basically, by the beginning of 2013,Indy will have been the location for the last 7 Big Ten postseason events over the prior 6 years. Indy is the 8th biggest city in the Big Ten footprint,while Atlanta is the #1 city in the SEC footprint.
Exactly what concessions did Indy give to warrant the annual 20 million boost to their economy that the Big Ten title game will be? Did they offer cheap hotels for fans? Or give the Big Ten a million dollars or free use of the Lucas Center?

They should have gone to a rotation for the football game between Detroit,Minny,Chicago,Cleveland and Indy...only fair that other cities in the league get the benefit of this event. As for the outdoors factor...Army-Navy game is outdoors in Philly/Balt. every year and I watch that game,and weather is rarely a big deal. This hurts Iowa's chances in this game. Iowa does not flourish vs the OSU/PSU/Mich type teams in perfect conditions...they get higher rated,faster recruits. Iowa is a good mudder program. I have disliked our new turf for the same reason,and Iowa has not been near as good at home since the new turf has homogenized conditions for visiting teams. Soldier Field is an Iowa type of turf,in December. Not the nintendo-type blazers from the highly touted programs like OSU,Mich,PSU,and Neb. But then, I get the feeling that the Big Ten is all about those ''winningest programs in college football history'' (Mich,OSU,PSU,Neb) since the expansion anyway....they want to make everything as conducive for those teams to represent the Big Ten as humanly possible...the other 8 teams? Go squat,you peons!

Indianapolis often is underestimated with regard to its true population index. I think this is a better indicator:

List of United States cities by population - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The way the LOS is situated in relation to the downtown area of Indianapolis, it will be a fantastic event, centrally located, with incredible resources (hotels, parking, restaurants, shopping, bars ect...) all within quick, easy walking distance. Although Soldier Stadium is in Chicago (a city I love and work in), it is not a venue that is really an easy walk to for hotels or restaurants, with very few exceptions. Big Ten football fans will absolutely love this venue, I guarantee it.