Where should the Big Ten Championship Game be held?

[Bobbuttons]

There seem to be 5 main contenders to host the future Big Ten Championship Game each season. As an Akronite, and a Browns fan, I'm kind of partial to Cleveland Browns Stadium. Lucas Oil Stadium is a fantastic facility and Indy is right in the middle of the Big Ten, location-wise. However, I've always been of the opinion that football should be played outside, especially championship football. Which Stadiums would you most like to see the game take place?

Here, from an article from the Plain Dealer's website, are those 5:

Championship contenders
The Big Ten is expected to play its first football championship game in December 2011. Here are the five venues -- which have all expressed interest -- that are the main contenders to host the game.

Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

Capacity: 70,000.

Pros: Already home of the Big Ten basketball tournaments, Indy has hosted everything from the Super Bowl to the Final Four, proving itself as a comfortable site for major events and a familiar destination for Big Ten fans.

Cons: Indiana doesn't exactly spring to mind when you think Big Ten football, and if the conference wants to change things up, especially by going outdoors instead of indoors, the obvious choice may not be the right one.

Soldier Field, Chicago

Capacity: 61,500.

Pros: As the largest city in the Big Ten footprint, Chicago is a logical and centralized location for the league to make a splash with its first championship game. There's no better place for fans to make a weekend of it.

Cons: Soldier Field is the smallest of the stadiums in the running, and you figure every seat will matter for what should be a sellout. The typical temperature the first week in December is about 35 degrees, same as Cleveland, and if the conference wants to stay indoors, it's obviously out.

Cleveland Browns Stadium

Capacity: 73,200.

Pros: This would be Ohio's bid, and Ohio is at the heart of Big Ten football, both with the recent dominance of Ohio State's five straight conference titles and the regular exporting of Ohio talent to other Big Ten schools. Among outdoor options, the stadium holds 11,000 more than Chicago, and the city could handle the crunch of fans much better than Green Bay.

Cons: The city isn't as big as Chicago and hasn't hosted as many major sporting events as Indianapolis and Detroit. Ohio State and Wisconsin have played in Browns Stadium in recent years, though.

Ford Field, Detroit

Capacity: 65,000.

Pros: Like Indy, Detroit has experience with major events, with both the Super Bowl and Final Four visiting Ford Field. If going inside is the desire, it's the only logical option other than Indianapolis, and with Michigan and Michigan State nearby, there should be plenty of hardcore football fans to support this bid.

Cons: If you are going indoors, it doesn't offer the convenience and central shopping and eating areas like Indy.

Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wis.

Capacity: 72,928.

Pros: The mystique of playing in the home stadium of the Green Bay Packers, which hasn't hosted a college game since 1982, when St. Norbert hosted Fordham, Vince Lombardi's alma mater, could be overwhelming. If this game needs any extra attention, and it doesn't, Lambeau would provide it.

Cons: Yes, the Packers play there, but could Green Bay handle the influx of more than 70,000 fans when almost all of them will be looking for restaurants and hotels? If the league wants to make it a weekend celebration, Green Bay isn't the place.

Cleveland Browns Stadium one of big five competing for Big Ten title game | cleveland.com

[TribeFanInNC]

While I also would like to see it in Cleveland or even another outdoor venue like Soldier Field or Lambeau, my assumption is that they will take the safe move and play in Indy.

[bababui]

either orlando or p rico because no big 10 games there

[bababui]

The team with the best record should host the game. Why not reward success?

[eriqjaffe]

They should play it in Austin, just to be jerks about it.

[dudeosu]

Why not rotate it amongst those sites and why not include Minneapolis and (snicker) Cincinnati?

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by bababui

The team with the best record should host the game. Why not reward success?

Because the team with the best record might have gotten that by feasting off weaker opponents. It's not like the schedule is balanced.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Skipaway

Because the team with the best record might have gotten that by feasting off weaker opponents. It's not like the schedule is balanced.

And? Who uses a balanced schedule? MLB? Nooooo...the NBA? Nooooo...But its better than playing at a 'neutral site' that makes the game reek of a sponsored exhibition played only for the cash. Which it is, by the way. But dont make it so obvious.

[Cooleyvol]

This is a slam dunk for Indy. The only title game played outdoors is the ACC's in Florida IIRC. Even the SEC's is played indoors in Atlanta.

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by bababui

And? Who uses a balanced schedule? MLB? Nooooo...the NBA? Nooooo...But its better than playing at a 'neutral site' that makes the game reek of a sponsored exhibition played only for the cash. Which it is, by the way. But dont make it so obvious.

MLB and NBA schedule are both way more balanced than the college football one.

And I don't get your point of "reek of a sponsored exhibition played only for the cash". That's the stated goal of the game, why avoid making it obvious when it's already obvious? You want they to treat you as stupid?

[jaxmagicman]

Is Monkey Rodeo Stadium in Puerto Rico?

[jbergey22]

Soldiers Field makes sense to me with the addition of Nebraska. It makes it the most central of locations IMO. Plus Soldiers Field has almost the tradition of Lambeau.

[yankeesrule]

gotta be somewhere outdoors. the big 10 talks up how they're true football because they play in the cold weather, to puss out and play their champ game indoors would be weak. rotate between the outdoor stadiums

[Cooleyvol]

Originally Posted by Cooleyvol

This is a slam dunk for Indy. The only title game played outdoors is the ACC's in Florida IIRC. Even the SEC's is played indoors in Atlanta.

Indy it is.....for now.

[dudeosu]

Now to figure out the divisions...

[rudel.dietrich]

Miami