Big Ten, Michigan State make football scheduling change; take note, USC and Pac-12
In the new world of college sports — one in which USC and UCLA will be in the Big Ten — conferences and schools will want and need to maximize occasions for donor networking and the fundraising that can create. What’s one way to do that? Play games in comfortable, climate-controlled domed stadiums with ample luxury suites, as opposed to on-campus stadiums exposed to bitter cold and snowstorms in late November. It’s a lot easier for wealthy donors and boosters to network in a suite than in a more rugged setting exposed to the elements.
Presto change-o. The Michigan State Spartans, upon urging from the Big Ten, have agreed to play their 2023 late-season rivalry game versus Penn State (the “Land Grant Trophy Game”) in Detroit at the Lions’ Ford Field, instead of on campus in East Lansing.
Nittany Lions Wire noted this detail:
“The decision to change the date and venue of the game came from Michigan State’s athletic department. According to The Detroit News, the Big Ten approached Michigan State with the idea of moving the game to a nationally televised window that Friday night. Michigan State jumped on board after cooperation from the Detroit Lions, Ford Field and the Michigan High School Athletic Association.”
We wrote last July about an idea from consultant Tony Altimore, posed on one of the shows we do with Mark Rogers at The Voice of College Football. Tony mentioned that in the future, you might see the Pac-12 have schools play neutral-site games in major markets to promote and facilitate networking among alumni bases. Oregon could play Stanford or Arizona in Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium) so that with USC and UCLA out of the Pac-12, there could still be Pac-12 football games played in Los Angeles to make sure Pac-12 alumni networks can gather in L.A.
The Big Ten nudging Michigan State to play Penn State in Detroit is very much in line with that thought.
The Pac-12 should definitely be lining up a few SoFi Stadium games with its established member schools once USC and UCLA leave.
