Big Ten Conference fans may need to get used to new sites for league championships.
Commissioner Tony Petitti during Q&A at the start of Big Ten Football Media Days in Indianapolis indicated that some championship events could see new homes in the future.
“Given the footprint of the conference, the cities that are now interested in hosting Big Ten Championships is clearly expanded,” Petitti said.
Could football be one of those with a new championship location?
“We’re really comfortable with the decision to stay, in football, here in Indianapolis for the next four seasons,” Petitti said. “We think it’s the right thing to do. Having said that, I think you’re gonna see us begin to expand.”
The Big Ten has added four teams from the west coast, making some non-rotating locations more difficult on the new members. Football, in particular, has been at Lucas Oil Stadium since the game’s inception in 2011.
“I think it’s really important to make sure that markets around the country get to experience Big Ten Championships,” Petitti said. “It’s a really good way to connect the conference, so I think over time you’ll start to see the geographic footprint start to expand.”
Besides football, the baseball championship has been in Omaha every year since 2017. That seems unlikely to change. The basketball tournament has bounced around from Washington, D.C. to New York to Indianapolis to Chicago to Minnesota. That seems likely to get some west coast love. But plenty of others rotate, including softball and track and field. Expect those to get west before football or baseball do.