Packers offer Lambeau Field as site for Big Ten title game

[Fritz]

Well, where else would you put it? You want to have the title game in Big Ten country but you want to have it on a neutral field so that nobody gets an outrageous home field advantage. Lambeau Field is the second biggest stadium in a Big Ten state that's not affiliated with a Big Ten college (Cleveland Stadium, where the Browns play is bigger by about 300 seats). But Green Bay is smack dab in the middle of Big Ten Country: east of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Illinois; west of Purdue, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Penn State; and Cleveland is on the far eastern edge of the Big Ten (east of everything except Penn State).

If you want a big stadium that's conveniently located for virtually all of the Big Ten fans, Lambeau is pretty much your best choice. Cleveland is an 850 mile drive from Lincoln, NE, while Green Bay is within 500 miles of all but three Big Ten Schools.

Plus, considering the aura of Lambeau Field and the quality of the stadium amenities, I couldn't think of a better place to hold it.

They'll accept less seats for better tv and weather. Lucas Oil Stadium. I think that, Ford Field and possibly Soldier are the most likely.

A Detroit writer tried to make the case for Ford Field by claiming the game should not have weather be a factor and therefore an indoor stadium made the most sense.

I puked in my mouth.

[MJZiggy]

I think the location is more about the events and activities that can take place around the tournament. Lambeau is a great stadium. Green Bay as a city has basically nothing to offer beyond that...at least compared to a city like Chicago or Indianapolis. Professional football fans may be interested in the Packer HOF and stuff like that. Not sure college football fans will be as interested in that.

Soldier Field actually makes the most sense to me...Chicago is a great metropolis with tons to do, it is very centrally located among the Big Ten universities, and it is an outdoor venue.

Green Bay has enough hotel rooms, a bar on every corner, and football seeping from the pavement itself. What more do college fans need?

The reason it won't be held in on of the other stadia you guys mentioned is that nobody else has offered.

[Bossman641]

I think the location is more about the events and activities that can take place around the tournament. Lambeau is a great stadium. Green Bay as a city has basically nothing to offer beyond that...at least compared to a city like Chicago or Indianapolis. Professional football fans may be interested in the Packer HOF and stuff like that. Not sure college football fans will be as interested in that.

Soldier Field actually makes the most sense to me...Chicago is a great metropolis with tons to do, it is very centrally located among the Big Ten universities, and it is an outdoor venue.

Green Bay has enough hotel rooms, a bar on every corner, and football seeping from the pavement itself. What more do college fans need?

The reason it won't be held in on of the other stadia you guys mentioned is that nobody else has offered.

Sorry Zig but you are wrong. Soldier field, Ford field, and the Browns had already expressed interest in hosting the championship.

[mngolf19]

I think the location is more about the events and activities that can take place around the tournament. Lambeau is a great stadium. Green Bay as a city has basically nothing to offer beyond that...at least compared to a city like Chicago or Indianapolis. Professional football fans may be interested in the Packer HOF and stuff like that. Not sure college football fans will be as interested in that.

Soldier Field actually makes the most sense to me...Chicago is a great metropolis with tons to do, it is very centrally located among the Big Ten universities, and it is an outdoor venue.

Green Bay has enough hotel rooms, a bar on every corner, and football seeping from the pavement itself. What more do college fans need?

The reason it won't be held in on of the other stadia you guys mentioned is that nobody else has offered.

Sorry Zig but you are wrong. Soldier field, Ford field, and the Browns had already expressed interest in hosting the championship.

And according to ESPN, Lucas Oil is the frontrunner. They did however point out that Murphy being a former NU AD gives Lambeau an in with the Big Ten. So at least they're in the conversation.

[Merlin]

I think they should host it in a non-Big 10 state, preferably in a state where they are courting one of the schools to join the Big 10. Fans will travel, there would be no home field (or state) advantage for anyone. It should be outdoors and it should be in a city where it isn't 90 degrees in November.

[mngolf19]

I think they should host it in a non-Big 10 state, preferably in a state where they are courting one of the schools to join the Big 10. Fans will travel, there would be no home field (or state) advantage for anyone. It should be outdoors and it should be in a city where it isn't 90 degrees in November.

So you think it should be in Dallas? Only teams they will accept to get to 14 are ND and/or TX.

[Merlin]

I haven't kept up on who they were courting. Last I read I thought it was ND, someone from the Big East, and several Big 12 teams. But that was a LONG time ago and I am sure that has changed.

If they are looking at a pro stadium then they should lock it into that stadium for several years like the normal bowl games.

Playing the Big 10 Championship in a big football state like Texas might be worthwhile for recruiting and other intangibles like that. We all know the Badger fans will travel anywhere to watch them play.

[hoosier]

They'll accept less seats for better tv and weather. Lucas Oil Stadium. I think that, Ford Field and possibly Soldier are the most likely.

The Big Ten Championship game has to be outside. National media be damned, the Big Ten Title game should be for fans of Big Ten Football. Every single Big Ten team plays all of their home games outdoors, in the weather. As an alumnus of a Big Ten institution (not Wisconsin), I would be incensed if the Big Ten title game were played indoors. Lucas Oil and Ford Field shouldn't be considered at all.

Sure, Soldier Field may be an option since Chicago is a much bigger city than Green Bay. But remember that a college football game is not the super bowl, it doesn't have a week long media event around it. It's first and foremost about football and the area around Green Bay has both a collegiate atmosphere and can support a full stadium worth of folks. Not only that, but since the championship game will be played in the first week of December, it's much more likely that you'll get weather that will negatively affect the game in Chicago than you will in Green Bay. In Green Bay on December 5th, it'll be a little cold and it might even snow a bit. But in Chicago, you've got about a 50/50 slot at getting some crazy wind off the lake. But regardless, we shouldn't care about the weather. This is Big Ten football, and unless there's lightning, they should play in it. Plus, remember, that most of the money is in TV and bad weather football games get great ratings.

In the interest of the Big Ten Fans, I would very much hope that the conference would not go with Soldier Field, since that's 13,000 fewer tickets than there would be in Green Bay or Cleveland, and I would probably want to attend this game some years. Cleveland would be acceptable (but it's a pit of a city), but I would prefer Green Bay.

Did Minnesota football get booted out of the Big Ten and relegated to Division II?

One drawback to having the title game in GB might be the logistical difficulties: lodging, restaurants and more expensive travel for fans (compare the costs of flying from Colombus, OH or Iowa City to GB and to Chi or Det).

[ThunderDan]

Did Minnesota football get booted out of the Big Ten and relegated to Division II?

No they opened a new outdoor stadium and no longer play in the Humptydome.

[hoosier]

Did Minnesota football get booted out of the Big Ten and relegated to Division II?

No they opened a new outdoor stadium and no longer play in the Humptydome.

I must have missed that. My bad. Here I was imagining them still playing in that garbage bag. When did this happen?

[pbmax]

Did Minnesota football get booted out of the Big Ten and relegated to Division II?

No they opened a new outdoor stadium and no longer play in the Humptydome.

I must have missed that. My bad. Here I was imagining them still playing in that garbage bag. When did this happen?

Last year. I think they opened it against the Badgers, but I am 100% certain.

[mngolf19]

Did Minnesota football get booted out of the Big Ten and relegated to Division II?

No they opened a new outdoor stadium and no longer play in the Humptydome.

I must have missed that. My bad. Here I was imagining them still playing in that garbage bag. When did this happen?

Last year. I think they opened it against the Badgers, but I am 100% certain.

Yes it was last year. TCF Bank Stadium, on campus. Pretty awesome place. But they didn't open vs. Wisky.

[Lurker64]

Yes it was last year. TCF Bank Stadium, on campus. Pretty awesome place. But they didn't open vs. Wisky.

Yeah, it's a very nice stadium. I can't say much for the quality of the product on the field, but the stadium is very nice.

[mngolf19]

Yes it was last year. TCF Bank Stadium, on campus. Pretty awesome place. But they didn't open vs. Wisky.

Yeah, it's a very nice stadium. I can't say much for the quality of the product on the field, but the stadium is very nice.

1 thing at a time.

[pbmax]

Did Minnesota football get booted out of the Big Ten and relegated to Division II?

No they opened a new outdoor stadium and no longer play in the Humptydome.

I must have missed that. My bad. Here I was imagining them still playing in that garbage bag. When did this happen?

Last year. I think they opened it against the Badgers, but I am 100% certain.

Yes it was last year. TCF Bank Stadium, on campus. Pretty awesome place. But they didn't open vs. Wisky.

Quite right. It was the Big Ten 2009 opener for them. They had two other games prior.