This Just In: All B1G Fans Want B1G Title Game in Their City

Indy's Lucas Oil Stadium

Chicago's Soldier Field

Last week we learned that the league had boiled its possible destinations for hosting the 2011 Big Ten Championship game down to two cities; Chicago and Indianapolis. This is great news if your favorite team is close to either town. This is also crappy news if your favorite team is not close to either town.

But here's the thing, your favorite team is close to either town. It's just not as close as a town that already has a NFL football facility worthy of hosting such an event...Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Green Bay.

Indy and Chicago are both great pics. Obvious ones, really. Each has their pros/cons. One is safe and indoors (Lucas Oil Stadium does have a retractable roof), and one is wild and outdoors. Indy and Chicago are both good cities that can easily handle the 60,000+ influx of fans. Both are very centrally located within the Big Ten footprint. Both offer state of the art stadiums that will surely do the league proud when Nebraska wins the game. And both cities have plenty to do that would draw in even casual Big Ten fans who's team might not be playing in the game.

But here's the problem; everyone thinks their city should have at least considered. Michigan/Sparty fans think Detroit would be perfect. tOSU fans think Cleveland would be perfect. Penn State fans think Pittsburgh would be perfect. Minnesota/Wisconsin fans think Minneapolis would be perfect. Think I'm crazy?

Via ESPN.com/Adam Rittenberg: Andy from Ann Arbor and Keith from Detroit think Ford Field is the obvious choice. Steve and Colton from Ohio both like Cleveland. Nate from California and Craig from Massachusetts like the Twin Cities mainly because they're most likely white, but also thinks the Indy/Chicago decision was an obvious one because they know how to be impartial.

The point is, you have to think of this from a "Mr. Big Ten Commissioner" perspective.

I think the nod will go to Indy simply because it's the safest bet. It's indoors. You know what you're going to get. And most importantly, it gives everyone involved (financially) a nice warm and fuzzy feeling. No chance of a poor turnout because of weather.

Frankly, I'd like to see the game hosted by the school with the better record. Now there's something to play for! And if there is a tie, flip a coin. But that doesn't make sense in this era of most revenue for big companies/TV networks. It's not about what the fans want, it always has and always will be about what the major advertisers and corporate "fat cats" want. Don't like that policy? Oh well.

But hey, this is just my opinion. What say you?