Should Big Ten Title Game Be Outdoors?

SDK46 said:
The SEC, the best FB league in America, has played its championship game in the same place, the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, every year since 1994 (it was played outdoors at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama for 2 years until a nasty rain storm ruined the game in 1993).

Sterile? Probably.
Same location? Yes.
Gone stale? Hardly.

No brainer....begin and sustain this thing at Lucas Oil Stadium.

P.S. How many years did Iowa highschool wrestling for example hold its state wrestling tournament at crappy Vet's auditorium? (You could have held in at the UNI dome, Iowa City CHA, ISU, rotated it, on and on.....)

Logically, because of its central state location, walk-up fan interest, they knew how to hold the event, and "the barn" was the mecca of wrestling...that mystical/magical place where all eyes focused upon come March. TRADITION.

I'll add these arguments for beginning and sustaining the game at Lucas Oil Stadium....build TRADITION.
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First of All. I don't want to just admit the SEC is the best football conference.

Secondly, Why do we give a crap what the SEC does? I mean we are the Big Ten. We are supposed to be the leaders, not the followers! I live in SEC country. If we are going by their lead, that is like the blind leading the sighted.

Are you saying that if the SEC went to including Nashville, New Orleans and Tampa they would suffer? I don't think so.

I mean dude, you were talking about Legion Field in Birmingham. That should be enough said right there. No matter if there is rain or not.

Lucas Oil, Ford Field, Cleveland, and Soldier Field would rotate within the central region of the conference. Why give one city that economic windfall?
 
Why does this even need to be in the frozen north in early December? Seriously. Play it some place warm, some place fun to go to -- Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, New Orleans.

If you're already boarding a plane, or preparing to drive a day or more to get to the Big 10 championship game, why not make it like a pre-bowl bowl game? In most cases fans would get the benefit of cheaper fares, better connections, more options for hotel rooms.
 
tweeterhawk said:
Why does this even need to be in the frozen north in early December? Seriously. Play it some place warm, some place fun to go to -- Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, New Orleans.

If you're already boarding a plane, or preparing to drive a day or more to get to the Big 10 championship game, why not make it like a pre-bowl bowl game? In most cases fans would get the benefit of cheaper fares, better connections, more options for hotel rooms.
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Oh NO!....it just cannot be played in San Antonio....it's not outdoors! Blasphemy.:)
 
SDK46 said:
The SEC, the best FB league in America, has played its championship game in the same place, the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, every year since 1994 (it was played outdoors at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama for 2 years until a nasty rain storm ruined the game in 1993).

Sterile? Probably.
Same location? Yes.
Gone stale? Hardly.

No brainer....begin and sustain this thing at Lucas Oil Stadium.

P.S. How many years did Iowa highschool wrestling for example hold its state wrestling tournament at crappy Vet's auditorium? (You could have held it at the UNI dome, Iowa City CHA, ISU, rotated it, on and on.....)

No, they kept it at the very same location because of its central state location, walk-up fan interest, they knew how to hold the event, and "the barn" was the mecca of wrestling...that mystical/magical place where all eyes focused upon come March. TRADITION.

I'll add these arguments for beginning and sustaining the game at Lucas Oil Stadium....build TRADITION.
Click to expand...

Bench marking the sec is not the answer. The sec did not become good at football solely by building traditions and holding their champ game in doors. They have a strong fan following, which is what set the Big Ten and SEC apart from other conferences. However, they also oversign letters of intent and admit some athletes that the Big Ten will not. Bench marking the sec is a mistake, differentiating from them, in a strategic fashion, is the way to go, otherwise, you're truely playing in their shadow rather simply competing against media craze and foolish perception.
 
ICHawkI said:
Bench marking the sec is not the answer. The sec did not become good at football solely by building traditions and holding their champ game in doors. They have a strong fan following, which is what set the Big Ten and SEC apart from other conferences. However, they also oversign letters of intent and admit some athletes that the Big Ten will not. Bench marking the sec is a mistake, differentiating from them, in a strategic fashion, is the way to go, otherwise, you're truely playing in their shadow rather simply competing against media craze and foolish perception.
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Where did you read I was bench-marking the SEC prowess solely based upon the league having its champ game indoors?

The SEC has the longest running championship game (1992....before Penn State joined the Big-10) and they set the standard in that regard. I'm suggesting they should be notified by the Big-10 suits who should pick their brain as to why the fair-weather SEC holds its champ game indoors and has so since 1994.
 
The weather numbers from Rittenberg at ESPN: LINK

The first Big Ten title game likely would be played on Dec. 3, 2011.
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Here are the average high and low temperatures on Dec. 3 for the outdoor NFL stadiums located in the Big Ten footprint (from Weather Underground):

Chicago (Soldier Field): High of 36, low of 26
Cleveland (Browns Stadium): High of 43, low of 33
Green Bay (Lambeau Field): High of 34, low of 18
Cincinnati (Paul Brown Stadium): High of 46, low of 30
Pittsburgh (Heinz Field): High of 47, low of 29
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SDK46 said:
No, they kept it at the very same location because of its central state location, walk-up fan interest, they knew how to hold the event, and "the barn" was the mecca of wrestling...that mystical/magical place where all eyes focused upon come March. TRADITION.

I'll add these arguments for beginning and sustaining the game at Lucas Oil Stadium....build TRADITION.
Click to expand...

If you talk tradition, you hold this game outdoors but that's ok.
 
ShadasRevenge said:
What tradition? This will be the first one!
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This is the first one?? No way... :eek: lol

Sorry, couldn't resist the sarcasm, not trying to be a jerk.

By tradition, I meant Big Ten tradition- to me, the big ten is associated with cold weather, outdoor football that time of year.
 
PlanoHawk said:
By tradition, I meant Big Ten tradition- to me, the big ten is associated with cold weather, outdoor football that time of year.
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Although, to argue my own point... traditionally the Big Ten hasn't played night games in November... and most likely the championship would be a prime time game.
 
Keep this game is indoors. The purpose of a B10 title game isn't to "toughen up" the two teams, they are in the B10 title game for a reason, they are already tough enough. The purpose of the game is to determin an outright conference champion, and to put on the best possible show for bowl scouts and potential poll voters.

The latter is key here. I want the pollsters to see a game in controlled climate situation where the teams are best able to showcase thier talents. I don't want it played on a cold/windy/slushy day when a typical score would be 13-10 with about a half dozen turnovers and people falling down all over themselves. We already have a repuation as a slow plodding clumsy conference, we don't want to do anything to perpetuate that stereotype in front of the national media and a national TV audience.

Playing indoors is best for the conference as a whole
 
DuffMan said:
Keep this game is indoors. The purpose of a B10 title game isn't to "toughen up" the two teams, they are in the B10 title game for a reason, they are already tough enough. The purpose of the game is to determin an outright conference champion, and to put on the best possible show for bowl scouts and potential poll voters.

The latter is key here. I want the pollsters to see a game in controlled climate situation where the teams are best able to showcase thier talents. I don't want it played on a cold/windy/slushy day when a typical score would be 13-10 with about a half dozen turnovers and people falling down all over themselves. We already have a repuation as a slow plodding clumsy conference, we don't want to do anything to perpetuate that stereotype in front of the national media and a national TV audience.

Playing indoors is best for the conference as a whole
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Right on Duff, right on.
 
DuffMan said:
Keep this game is indoors. The purpose of a B10 title game isn't to "toughen up" the two teams, they are in the B10 title game for a reason, they are already tough enough. The purpose of the game is to determin an outright conference champion, and to put on the best possible show for bowl scouts and potential poll voters.

The latter is key here. I want the pollsters to see a game in controlled climate situation where the teams are best able to showcase thier talents. I don't want it played on a cold/windy/slushy day when a typical score would be 13-10 with about a half dozen turnovers and people falling down all over themselves. We already have a repuation as a slow plodding clumsy conference, we don't want to do anything to perpetuate that stereotype in front of the national media and a national TV audience.

Playing indoors is best for the conference as a whole
Click to expand...

Great post, I agree 100%.
 
DuffMan said:
Keep this game is indoors. The purpose of a B10 title game isn't to "toughen up" the two teams, they are in the B10 title game for a reason, they are already tough enough. The purpose of the game is to determin an outright conference champion, and to put on the best possible show for bowl scouts and potential poll voters.

The latter is key here. I want the pollsters to see a game in controlled climate situation where the teams are best able to showcase thier talents. I don't want it played on a cold/windy/slushy day when a typical score would be 13-10 with about a half dozen turnovers and people falling down all over themselves. We already have a repuation as a slow plodding clumsy conference, we don't want to do anything to perpetuate that stereotype in front of the national media and a national TV audience.

Playing indoors is best for the conference as a whole
Click to expand...

Excellent points- well taken. The #1 purpose though is money- this game will generate lots of cash no matter if played indoors or out.
 
Football is meant to be played outdoors, not indoors.

That being said, rotate the game between Chicago, Green Bay, Indy and Detroit. Then there will be both outdoor and indoor games.
 
Football is meant to be played outside. It's not like it cann't snow and be cold in November.
 
PlanoHawk said:
Excellent points- well taken. The #1 purpose though is money- this game will generate lots of cash no matter if played indoors or out.
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I agree it's about money which is why it's important that we look good for bowl scouts and pollsters. The better the B10's bowl games the better the money. :)
 
I can be persuaded to play it indoors. I just can't be persuaded to have it only in Indy. At least make it Ford Field and Lucas. Then, if other indoor stadiums get built (hmmmmm, Minny) Let them in the mix.

However, after saying this, I still have a hard time not having Soldier Field in the mix. I mean people in Indy go to Chicago to have something to do. Big Ten championship weekend in Indy will suck after like year one. People will end up coming in late for the game and leaving as quickly as possible.

In Chicago, it will always be epic.
 
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