B1G CCG: Sparty +9.5 vs Wisconsin (ov/un 57.5) Sat 8 ET, Fox

[cincibuck]

I'm fairly certain that more than enough local Sparties and Buckies would buy up tickets for Saturday's game if it were in Chicago rather than Indy that the Big Ten would not have to be humiliating itself taking craigslist ads out for "seat fillers."

They don't call it Naptown for nothing. Dayton with professional sports.

 

[Buckeye doc]

I think part of the reason there isn't too much buzz is that there is no BCS title game appearance at stake, either.

 

[BlufftonBuckeye]

This is nearly a worst-case scenario for the B1G.

No tOSU, scUM, PSU...Sparty isn't a great traveling fanbase, and neither is Wisky. Both teams have had some bad losses, and the buzz around Wisky is GONE.

What's the story here? Little to no "great tradition," coaches are un-interesting (Unlike Fickell/Urban story, or Hoke in his first year, or PSU without JoePa), the best player in this game is either Ball or Wilson, and they blew their wad early in the season.

Tough to market, outside of the obvious rematch of one of the best games of the season. Still.

I live about an hour and a half away...and I probably won't go, because fuck both these teams.

 

[Bucky32]

I don't know about "worst-case scenario". I still believe it's due to the location.

 

[localyokel]

This is nearly a worst-case scenario for the B1G.

No tOSU, scUM, PSU...

There is absolutely NO WAY it was going to be beneficial to the B10, college football in general, tOSU in particular, or anyone with a less-than-iron stomach, to see Ped State in the first Big Ten Championship Game. Do you seriously think that would have been desirable as the inaugural event for the conference, and as the enduring legacy...to be reminded of the abuse of children every single time the history of that game was discussed in the future?

 

[jwinslow]

people aren't going on a pre bowl vacation because of the town.

the small percentage that might consider it in a bigger destination town would likely be part of the larger group that don't want to sit outside in the cold.


the problem is the teams.

get Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio state & Penn state involved, especially with top ten teams, and that stadium will be full in Indy.


I prefer Chicago for the character of the stadium. the colts do not epitomize the tradition and stereotypes of the B1G. the bears do.

 

[muffler dragon]

Could not care less about this game. Would love for a lackluster game for the reasons that BB posted. There is no reason that the number one team in the conference can't/shouldn't host the Championship game. Chalk this up with the bullshit division names.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

... the best player in this game is either Ball or Wilson, and they blew their wad early in the season.

WTF? Dude has scored 2+ TDs in every single game this year, including four at Penn State in the last game of the regular season. He has 17 total TDs in both the first six and last six games of the season (34 TDs total). I'd say that's the antithesis of "blowing your wad early"...

 

[Bucky32]

WTF? Dude has scored 2+ TDs in every single game this year, including four at Penn State in the last game of the regular season. He has 17 total TDs in both the first six and last six games of the season (34 TDs total). I'd say that's the antithesis of "blowing your wad early"...

On top of that, the fact that Ball is barely getting mentioned in the Heisman race is ridiculous. He's got a chance to break Sanders' TD record. Many people thought that was untouchable. I know the main argument is that he plays on a team that has 2 losses, but if he doesn't at least get an invite to New York it'll be a travesty.

 

[OHSportsFan]

Ball's numbers have been incredible. Real good back.

 

[gnepmatt]

Michigan State vs Wisconsin was the best B1G game of the season (followed by Ohio State vs Wisconsin) and people are complaining about the teams playing in this matchup? The game hasn't even been played yet and you guys are already saying it's a failure. If this game is even close to as good as round one this game would be a major success in my eyes. It's a hell of alot better then the UCLA-Oregon Joke going on in the Pac-12 Championship game.

 

[Jaxbuck]

It's tough to say because it's in it's first year. It has to be allowed to build on itself.

The B1G needs to make this an event. Look at the Frozen Four - despite the relatively small number of people who follow college hockey, people go year-after-year regardless of whether "their" team is playing. That's the kind of following the B1G needs for this event.

Or have teams in it that generate actual interest outside of their campuses.

You put OSU vs scUM 2006 on this stage and no one needs to let it build on itself or worry about selling tickets.

Truth is no one outside of E.L or Madison gives a flying fuck about these two programs. They barely have regional draw, forget any kind of national interest.

B1G picked a bad year to have its first CCG.

 

[jwinslow]

ball saw his Heisman campaign end in Columbus, but before that, I was adamant that they were hyping the wrong badger as a darkhorse

 

[Bucky32]

Or have teams in it that generate actual interest outside of their campuses.

You put OSU vs scUM 2006 on this stage and no one needs to let it build on itself or worry about selling tickets.

Truth is no one outside of E.L or Madison gives a flying [censored] about these two programs. They barely have regional draw, forget any kind of national interest.

B1G picked a bad year to have its first CCG.

Yeah, but than again, the attendance issue is about drumming up interest within the respective fanbases, which for whatever reason, isn't happening. I wouldn't expect people that don't have a rooted interest in the two programs to go to the game. It's just reality.

I would agree that it would help to have either OSU or Michigan in the first year, but that matchup isn't going to happen every year. The Big Ten needs to figure out how to draw people to the game in the instances where one of those teams isn't playing.

 

[Wells4Heisman]

Almost bought tickets to this game when they were first released... Whew.