Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium Selected as Proposed Site for 2011 Big Ten Football Championship Game

Big Ten will conduct thorough review process to determine site or sites for 2012 and beyond

Aug. 5, 2010

Park Ridge, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference announced today that Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis has been chosen as the proposed site for the inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game to be played in December of 2011. The conference office will begin a 30-day period to negotiate a one-year agreement with Indiana Sports Corp and Lucas Oil Stadium to host the game. Once the 2011 agreement is in place, the conference office will conduct a thorough process over the next year to determine the location of the Big Ten Football Championship Game in 2012 and beyond.

"We are excited to work with Indiana Sports Corp and Lucas Oil Stadium to finalize an agreement to hold the inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game in the city of Indianapolis," said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. "We felt at this time it was important to identify a site for the first championship game and then spend more time with other cities and venues with respect to both our basketball tournaments and the football championship games in the future. The city of Indianapolis has been an outstanding host for our basketball tournaments, and we look forward to holding our first Big Ten Football Championship Game in Lucas Oil Stadium."

The 115th season of Big Ten football kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 2, as Indiana hosts Towson, Minnesota plays at Middle Tennessee State, and Ohio State welcomes Marshall. The conference's other eight teams open action on Saturday, Sept. 4.

darbypitcher22;442941 wrote:I like the choice. Should be a fairly neutral pick as well, as I don't see Indiana or Purdue playing in that 1st game

darbypitcher22;443235 wrote:^^^^

and it probably will be for future games. The Big Ten loves in Indy for conference tournament type events. Basketball is already there

purple_rein;443323 wrote:Downtown Indy is awesome. This is the best choice for sure.

dave;443374 wrote:Have you ever been to Soldier Field? You can't even compare the 2, the location of Soldier is amazing. I'm not even a big fan of Chicago either.

ts1227;443294 wrote:Not only is Basketball there, but they threw Chicago out of the rotation to keep it at Indy every year (at least 2008-12, the contract ends then).

dave;443374 wrote:Have you ever been to Soldier Field? You can't even compare the 2, the location of Soldier is amazing. I'm not even a big fan of Chicago either.