Because of conference expansion to 12 teams an annual football playoff game to determine the Big Ten champion could begin in 2011 and the venue might one day be the new Vikings stadium, according to Bill Lester.
Lester, executive director of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, told Sports Headliners he expects the championship game will be “the kind of event put out for bid” by the Big Ten Conference. A new state-of-the art Vikings stadium with a fixed or retractable roof presumably would interest conference officials.
The game will almost certainly be played in December and because of the cold weather a covered stadium will probably be preferred. The annual Southeastern Conference championship game is played in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome and last year’s Big 12 Conference championship game was played in Cowboys Stadium which has a retractable roof.
In the Big Ten’s geographic area there are two modern stadiums with roofs, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and Ford Field in Detroit. The uncertain future and age of the Metrodome probably makes the facility an unlikely candidate to host a Big Ten championship game, but a new Vikings stadium creates possibilities for a local bid.
The Big Ten already has precedent in using pro facilities having staged its post-season conference basketball tournaments in Chicago and Indianapolis. The games have been played in NBA facilities in each city, the United Center in Chicago and Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The Big Ten, with the addition of Nebraska, will have 12 teams for the first time in its history starting in 2011. Two divisions of six teams each are expected to be created with the division winners playing for the conference championship before a large in-stadium and TV audience.
Most informed sources expect the conference to expand beyond 12 schools, likely adding four more with the majority perhaps coming from the Big East Conference. An exit by some Big East schools could hasten football independent Notre Dame to join the Big Ten since the Irish compete in the Big East in other sports. The weakening or collapse of the Big East probably leaves the Irish with the Big Ten being its best alternative.
Don’t even be surprised if the Big Ten announces the addition of more schools within a few weeks.