In the aftermath of Nebraska’s addition to the Big Ten, it’s been widely assumed that there would be a conference title game and said game would be played at a Midwest site with a domed stadium — Detroit’s Ford Field and Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium being the two most mentioned.
In recent days, a pair of open-air Midwest venues — Chicago’s Soldier Field and Cleveland’s Browns Stadium — have made it clear that they’d like consideration as well.
Now, the patron saint of all outdoor football facilities has let it be known that she’s tossing her historic hat into the Big Ten mix.
Both the Appleton Post-Crescent and ESPN.com‘s Big Ten blog reported Thursday that Lambeau Field officials have made it clear that they would like to host the conference championship game, the first of which would likely be contested Dec. 3 of 2011.
“The Big Ten has got such history and tradition, and to have a championship in Lambeau Field would be tremendous,” Green Bay Packers CEO Mark Murphy told ESPN.com. “It’d be good for our community and good for college football to have it in such a historic venue.”
Like his counterparts from Soldier Field and Browns Stadium, Murphy dismisses the concerns of playing a title game in early December weather in an open-air stadium.
“Early December, that’s balmy in Green Bay,” Murphy joked. “To me, that’s part of the attraction of college football, to play in the elements. We’re going to have a Super Bowl in New York in February, so it’s not that much different.”
I must say this: a Big Ten title game at freaking Lambeau Field would be off the hook, chain or whatever it is that kids these days call something completely and totally awesome.
Somebody, anybody, needs to make this happen. If not as a permanent site, then on a rotational basis with a couple other — preferably outdoor — venues.
Sure, there would be concerns — as one emailer pointed out — over hotel space for the 73,000 or so fans who would cram into the stadium for the game, but that and any other concern is trumped by the following simple equation.
Lambeau + Big Ten title game + December = Epic
Again, this needs to happen. Somebody start a Facebook page or something to keep the ball rolling.
I’m a Gator fan and a SEC fan so I can’t stand this league. However. I do agree. Title game in Lambeau would kick ass.
Ditto,
SEC Fan also.
It would be a great move to play the Big Ten Title game at Lambeau.
Plenty of good options, as long as it’s outside and on Grass, should be the only 2 prerequisites.
Take it from a SEC fan, the soul crushing that accompanies playing a game indoors and on turf just isn’t worth it.
Not even a big fan of Conference Championship games, but to have one for the Big Ten at Lambeau would be the best. We went on vacation to Wisconsin last year and toured Lambeau, it is truly a national monument.
A domed stadium would be best. Don’t really see why so many like to freeze
Both Indy and Detriot are close to the mid point for Big Ten teams.
Even thought I am Penn State Grad, I think that
Detroit would be good locale just on geographic terms, plus that city can use anything could be considered good, which a Big 10 Conference Championship would be!
Horse pucky
The team with the better record hosts the game. Only in the result of an even record on both sides then they should play at a neutral field. This would be after the leauge and the non leauge are sorted out.
Green Bay? Are you serois? Have it at a real stadium, Penn State or Michigan with over 109,000 fans! SEC people would be going bonkers when they see how many people would be watching an outdoor game!
I must say that I love the idea of the game being played at a neutral site. I say that we get a rotation going from at least 4, if not 5 cities. They could rotate it amongst: Chicago,
Green Bay, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Detroit. With the only provision being that when Indy and D-Town host the game, they MUST open up the retractable roof, regardless of the weather. It wouldn’t make sense to play it in an open field with the December elements one year, and then a dome field the following year which would wipe out both the wind and the possibility of snow.
My first football game was when I was 10 years old; it was the Bears’ last home game of the year in late December against Tampa Bay, back when Da Coach Mike Ditka was with the team.
The temperature at kickoff was
6 DEGREES…..seriously, plus a 2omph wind swirling off of Lake Michigan. My dad and I froze our asses off, but I had the time of my life.
The Big 10(+2) Title game should be played in outdoor December weather. That would be Cool.
Doubtful when you see what is available in the area:
School–Football stadium–Stadium capacity
Michigan–Michigan Stadium–109,901–FieldTurf
Penn State–Beaver Stadium–107,282–Grass
Ohio State–Ohio Stadium–102,329–FieldTurf
Nebraska–Memorial Stadium–81,067–FieldTurf
Wisconsin–Camp Randall Stadium–80,321–FieldTurf
Michigan State–Spartan Stadium–75,005–Grass
Iowa–Kinnick Stadium–70,585–FieldTurf
Illinois–Memorial Stadium–70,000–FieldTurf
Purdue–Ross–Ade Stadium–62,500–Grass
Indiana–Memorial Stadium–52,692–FieldTurf
Minnesota–TCF Bank Stadium–50,805–FieldTurf
Northwestern–Ryan Field–49,256–FieldTurf
NFL Stadiums in Big 10 states:
Cleveland–Cleveland Browns Stadium–73,200–Grass
Green Bay–Lambeau Field–72,928–Grass
Philadelphia–Lincoln Financial Field–69,144–Grass
Indianapolis–Lucas Oil Stadium–66,153(expandable to 70,000)–FieldTurf
Cincinnati–Paul Brown Stadium–65,790–FieldTurf
Pittsburgh–Heinz Field–65,050–Grass
Detroit–Ford Field–64,500–FieldTurf
Minnesota–Metrodome–64,121–FieldTurf
Chicago–Soldier Field–61,500–Grass
Canton–Fawcett Stadium–22,400–FieldTurf
[...] only two cities who would be under consideration for the next few years, which means Detroit and Lambeau Field would be off the list for the foreseeable future as [...]