INDIANAPOLIS — The City of Indianapolis will not be the neutral site for the NFL's upcoming AFC Championship game.
According to Chris Gahl, Executive Vice President of Visit Indy, the city had to turn down the opportunity to host the event because of an already packed schedule.
Gahl says the city already has an event on its calendar at Lucas Oil Stadium for the Jan. 28 weekend . That event, a national volleyball tournament hosted by Capitol Sports Center called The Central Zone Invitational, is expected to draw at least 20,000 people into downtown Indianapolis.
NFL clubs passed a resolution during a special league meeting on Friday that would allow them to play the AFC Championship Game at a neutral site "for the 2022 season only," if necessary.
The decision follows the NFL saying the Week 17 game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals would not resume. The game, which had playoff implications, was stopped after Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest. The move is contingent on who ends up in the championship game.
If either the Bills, Bengals or Kansas City Chiefs end up in the title game and could have ended the regular season as the No. 1 seed, a neutral site will be selected by the NFL commissioner.
Other scenarios would lead to the game being played at the home stadium of the higher seed.
-
Indy mother charged with neglect after baby dies from fentanyl overdose
An Indy mother is being charged with neglect after her 11-month-old baby died with fentanyl in her system.
President Trump orders flags at half-staff in memory of Pope Francis
President Donald Trump ordered flags across the United States to be flown at half-staff "as a mark of respect for the memory" of Pope Francis following his death on Monday.
Teen shot after alleged car break-in attempt in Lawrence; shooter arrested
A man is facing a charge of attempted murder after shooting and critically injuring a 15-year-old boy who was allegedly attempting to break into his girlfriend's car in Lawrence on Sunday.
18-year-old shot on Indy's northeast side dies days later in hospital
A man who was critically injured in a shooting on the northeast side of Indianapolis last week has died, police said.
