INDIANAPOLIS–Nearly $20 million. That’s how much money was spent in Indianapolis because of this year’s Big Ten Football Championship Game.
That game brought thousands of fans to Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis from Wisconsin, Ohio, and other places. Wisconsin played Ohio State for the Big Ten Championship. Ohio State won the game 34-21.
But will the Big Ten football title game remain in Indianapolis beyond 2021? That’s the question the Indiana Sports Corporation is trying to answer. The current contract with the Big Ten Conference runs through 2021. Other cities in the midwest will compete to get the game.
“Certainly Detroit and Minneapolis we know for a fact will be enthusiastic about bidding on this opportunity,” said Ryan Vaughn, President of the Indiana Sports Corporation, in an interview with Inside Indiana Business. “We don’t take it for granted, we intend to compete very hard and keep it here permanently.”
The Big Ten Conference picked Indianapolis to host its football championship game in 2011. It’s been in Indianapolis ever since. So what makes Indianapolis unique?
“One of the things that we do better than most other communities I’ve been part of is that we work together. It’s not just the Sports Corp. bringing the Big Ten relationship here. It’s the Colts, the Pacers, the CIB, Visit Indy, the city, and the state. That’s our strongest partnership,” Vaughn said.
Vaughn says the game has brought about $200 million to the city since 2011. The game is also typically the biggest Airbnb weekend of the year for Indianapolis.
(PHOTO: Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
