B10 gives football title game to Indy

[WindyCitySports 407]

After his conference snubbed Soldier Field, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany gave Chicago the old "It's not you, it's me" speech.

 

"We love Chicago," he said, pointing out that between 300,000 and 400,000 Big Ten alumni reside in the area. "It's our home, and to me, it's the best sports city in the country."

 

Kind words, but the conference on Sunday awarded its football championship game to Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium from 2012 to 2015, in addition to the inaugural 2011 game already bound for the Hoosier State.

 

Chicago did earn a split decision in basketball, winning the men's and women's tournaments in 2013 and 2015. The United Center will host the men, while the women will play at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates. Indianapolis' Conseco Fieldhouse, which hosted the last four years, gets both tournaments in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

 

"We wanted to get back to Chicago," Delany said, alluding to the United Center's hosting the men from 1998 to 2001 and in '03, '05 and '07.

 

A lack of a united effort, though, worked against Chicago in football. Big Ten presidents and chancellors examined bids from three groups (Chicago Park District, United Center, Sears Centre) compared with the synergistic Indiana Sports Corporation proposal.

 

"For anyone who has been around the Final Four or the Super Bowl, you can't help but look at the integrated nature of the Indianapolis bid process," Delany said. "The people in the NFL, NBA and NCAA will tell you this: Indianapolis has a unique ability that has been developed over the last three decades to deliver turnkey events in a quality way."

 

That, and Lucas Oil Stadium is domed.

 

Delany stressed "fan comfort" and "the consistency of planning for both teams" but said: "I don't think we've made an unequivocal statement about outdoor football (in December). We want to get off to a stable start with our championship game and launch from there."

 

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, who had beaten the drum for championship games at Soldier Field, said Sunday he supported the league's decision-makers.

 

"It would have been great to have it at Soldier Field," he told the Tribune, "but we just want to play in the darn game. Indy will do a great job. And if Chicago had any deficiencies (in its bid), hopefully we'll address those and up the ante."

 

The games will be played in prime time and will be televised by Fox, starting with the Dec. 3 game between the winners of the Legends and Leaders divisions.

Here's my opinion on this: http://windy-city-sports.blogspot.com/2011/06/indy-gets-b10-football-title-chicago.html

 

If you don't want to read my blog post let me just sum it up for you. There are numerous reasons, mostly geographical, why Chicago should get these games.

Edited June 6, 2011 by WindyCitySports