INDIANAPOLIS — The Circle City is preparing for its 14th Big Ten Football Championship game.
The event has been kept in Indy through the work of Indiana Sports Corp, which says the best days of the championship in Indianapolis lie ahead.
“Continuing to take this event to the next level, not resting on what we've done in the past, showing the conference and our partners with the Big Ten that we're going to continue to grow with them and continue to make this event the very best it can be,” explained Indiana Sports Corp spokesperson Sam Reel.
Reel says the corporation that helps bring new events to Indianapolis is thrilled to display the city to a new audience of West Coast fans from USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon.
“We're exposing the city to new audiences, new fans, and showing how great Indianapolis is as a host city and a place for them to come see their team,” Reel explained.
This past Summer, the Big Ten Conference extended the agreement to play the Championship in Indianapolis through 2028.
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While some are excited about the extended agreement, others are concerned that the extended playoff has taken some of the energy out of conference championships.
Ben Portnoy covers college athletics for the Sports Business Journal. He believes the expansion of the college football playoff from four to twelve teams has and will continue to weaken the importance of conference accolades.
“If you're having conference championship games that teams are playing in and then basically, losing out on seating or falling out of the field entirely, it's a problem and it's a significant issue for the committee to deal with,” Portnoy said over a Zoom call. “There's a huge economic impact on the cities that host them that still exist. But I think they've certainly become a bit outdated in their function on some level. And the logistical hurdles of knocking teams out of the playoff versus elevating a team that was outside the field, I think, is an interesting dynamic at play as well."
Despite the unknowns in college football, Reel says Indiana Sports Corp is looking forward to putting on another successful Big Ten Championship.
“We have the confidence in our ability to host this game to prove, not only to the teams but the fans, too, that this game is a meaningful experience for them, for their teams,” Reel said.
More information regarding the Big Ten Championship game and ticket information can be found onthe conference’s website.
