Should Big Ten Title Game Be Outdoors?

Personally, I would choose Soldier Field, but I think Indy makes the most sense for everyone involved. The conference is (and should be) worried about national perception. A sloppy game in poor weather conditions only increases the negative stereotypes that have developed over the last couple years.
 
Outdoors is fine by me. Just not Chicago, Green Bay, or MN. The Championship game will sell-out....that is unless were talking about NW playing IU or MN.

I am also cool with Indy. Everyone can drive to Indy.
 
I'd prefer a championship game that is indoors. The outdoor fields are pretty torn up late in the football season. I believe Soldiers Field and Lambeau Field are natural grass. Almost all Big Ten teams play on artificial surfaces and I would not like to see teams play on a surface that isn't up to par.
 
I agree with the many people in the media that have suggested the games rotate across NFL stadiums in the Big 10 geographic region (Detriot, Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinatti, Green Bay, Indianapolis, and Pittsburg). Location changes across the Big 10 seems like a fair way to share an event equally for fans. It keeps the game fresh from a marketing standpoint when you can hold it different cities.

There's no proven correlation between playing december games in cold weather a big ten bowl losses. This is one extra game anyway. If that were true New England wouldn't have won three Super Bowls after playing their NFC championships in snowy weather. I understand that sentiment for the superbowl as half the league plays in warm weather, but not the big 10. Even in the NFL, certain number of super bowls should be played in cold weather, as a certain number of games are played every year in cold weather.
 
asshalo said:
I agree with the many people in the media that have suggested the games rotate across NFL stadiums in the Big 10 geographic region (Detriot, Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinatti, Green Bay, Indianapolis, and Pittsburg). Location changes across the Big 10 seems like a fair way to share an event equally for fans. It keeps the game fresh from a marketing standpoint when you can hold it different cities.

There's no proven correlation between playing december games in cold weather a big ten bowl losses. This is one extra game anyway. If that were true New England wouldn't have won three Super Bowls after playing their NFC championships in snowy weather. I understand that sentiment for the superbowl as half the league plays in warm weather, but not the big 10. Even in the NFL, certain number of super bowls should be played in cold weather, as a certain number of games are played every year in cold weather.
Click to expand...

I like the rotating schedule, but think it should be a maximum of 4 venues,
so you play somewhere every 4 years.

the four that make most sense to me are Detroit, Chicago, Indy, Cincinatti/Cleveland.... This way you would be indoor 2 of every 4 years and it keeps the travel reasonable for everyone (except nebby, goofers and psu)
 
I wouldn't mind Indy as a semi permanent home, but i like the idea of throwing other cities a bone once and a while, especially hard hit Cleveland and Detroit.
2012 Indy
2013 Chicago
2014 Indy
2015 Minneapolis (New indoor Stadium)
2016 Indy
2017 Cleveland
2018 Indy
2019 Detroit
2020 Indy
2021 Pittsburgh
 
Title Game should be indoors. Bowl games are either indoors or in the south. The higher temps and humidity are known to drain energy, even in athletes in tip/top shape. Having one game in warmer conditions (inside) will help the winner be just that much more acclimated for their bowl appearance.
 
An outdoor December game in prime time makes no sense. It could be sub zero temps. and snowing during game time. It wouldn't be much fun for the fans and I'm sure the players would feel the low temps.

That said, I think the championship game should be played indoors, especially during prime time. A game of this magnitude will almost certainly be played in prime time.
 
dameiowa said:
Title Game should be indoors. Bowl games are either indoors or in the south. The higher temps and humidity are known to drain energy, even in athletes in tip/top shape. Having one game in warmer conditions (inside) will help the winner be just that much more acclimated for their bowl appearance.
Click to expand...


Keep in mind the championship game and the bowl game the winner plays in are a month + apart, not sure the conditioning/preparation is that big of a factor
 
I am all for indoors.

Playing in the cold, late in the season, has the potential to cause more injuries and will have a tendency to favor conservatism in style of play. The last thing the Big10 wants/needs is a really boring championship game. Although, that style of play would favor teams like Iowa a bit more.
 
The league's inagural championship game, and all subsequent games, needs to focus on the two teams who deserve to be there and the play on the field.

Not the weather.

The game is not about showing how tough the fans are, not about how many beers they can drink in sub-zero temperature and not about the dozens of TV camera shots of water vapor coming out of player's mouths in order to demonstrate how "tough" the league is.

It's about showcasing the Big-10 in the best light to the entire nation on primetime. An ice or snow storm for example would completely ruin the game....completely.

I'll repeat again. The game is about the game and teams.

Let's learn from the SEC. They have the best weather of any conference. And where have they played their championship game since 1994?...indoors at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. This is not by accident.
 
Last edited:
SDK46 said:
The league's inagural championship game, and all subsequent games, needs to focus on the two teams who deserve to be there and the play on the field.

Not the weather.

The game is not about showing how tough the fans are, not about how many beers they can drink in sub-zero temperature and not about the dozens of TV camera shots of water vapor coming out of player's mouths in order to demonstrate how "tough" the league is.

It's about showcasing the Big-10 in the best light to the entire nation on primetime. An ice or snow storm for example would completely ruin the game....completely.

I'll repeat again. The game is about the game and teams.

Let's learn from the SEC. They have the best weather of any conference. And where do they play? Indoors at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. This is not by accident.
Click to expand...

I agree with you to a point but there isn't a single team in the Big Ten south of the Mason-Dixon line. There also isn't a team in the Big Ten where there isn't a possibility where inclement weather isn't very likely October, November and now December. Part of what gives the Big Ten it's "hard nosed" reputation is the brutal weather of the Midwest during the late part of the year. Now that Minny doesn't play in a dome, having the elements play a factor in the Big Ten championship would be a natural thing.

The idea of having it rotate between different NFL stadiums is a good idea to negate a geographic advantage over the long term and also support the economies of the different states with teams in the Big Ten. That leaves the states of Iowa and Nebraska out of the loop but many of the possible cities would still give us a slight "home field" advantage over time.

Just imagine if the National Championship were played in the north. Then we'll see just how "tough" the SEC, Pac 10, ACC, and the Big 12 South are when they are in Big Ten territory around New Years. I'm not saying these teams wouldn't ever win in the Midwest but they would be at a significant disadvantage.
 
Last edited:
You guys are all a bunch of pansies. An outdoor game in Hawaii is not going to hurt anybody. I vote for Hawaii for the championship game:)
 
The game should be played outdoors. It will be played 2 weeks later than the last game of the season is now played. That's still late fall, not the dead of winter depicted in some of the posts in this thread.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top