Lucas Oil snags 1st conference championship

The 115th season of Big Ten football will end with something many fans have been clamoring for: a conference championship game.

The inaugural Big Ten Football Championship will also have importance for the Hoosiers. The December 2011 game will take place at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium  — essentially home turf.

Indiana football coach Bill Lynch said he thinks the state capital is a great choice for the conference’s first championship game.

“The city has proven it can host world-class events — particularly in the sporting arena — and is a logical geographic fit for the Big Ten Football Championship Game,” Lynch said. “Lucas Oil Stadium is one of the finest facilities in the country and will provide a great setting for our league’s inaugural event.

“As a lifelong Indiana native, I know Indianapolis will show its Hoosier hospitality and hopefully will get the opportunity to host this game on a yearly basis.”
Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany echoed Lynch’s sentiment.

“We are excited to work with Indiana Sports Corp. and Lucas Oil Stadium to finalize an agreement to hold the inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game in the city of Indianapolis,” Delany said. “We felt at this time it was important to identify a site for the first championship game and then spend more time with other cities and venues with respect to both our basketball tournaments and the football championship games in the future.”

After an official agreement is made between Lucas Oil Stadium and Indiana Sports Corp. is finalized, the conference will look to determine the location for the 2012 Championship game.

— Candice Rohrman