CBS: Big Ten schools eye stadium improvements in anticipation of hosting future College Football Playoff games

BleedGopher

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Per CBS:

The new College Football Playoff format will feature four first-round on-campus games to be played Dec. 20-21 in 2024. With expansion just around the corner, the prospect of a late-December home game is creating logistical challenges for programs that routinely experience harsh winters. Some universities are making proactive changes with hopes of capably hosting postseason contests in the near future.

On Thursday, Penn State approved a $70 million renovation to Beaver Stadium, which the university says will give it "the ability to host a College Football Playoff game beginning in 2024." It joins Big Ten member Wisconsin, which approved a $5.5 million renovation of its own with similar intentions earlier this week.

"What pushed this over the edge for us (approving this renovation) was the potential of hosting playoff games in Camp Randall in December," Wisconsin senior associate athletic director Jason King told the Wisconsin State Journal.

While winter weather already affects games in conferences like the Big Ten in November, it has the potential to create havoc in the late-December time window when the CFP will play on-campus postseason contests.

Wisconsin is installing a radiant heating system under its field turf, which will make the field "more playable in freezing temperatures and lessen the need for snow removal efforts," King said. Penn State's project includes "insulation of pipes and other upgrades to allow the building to be occupied when temperatures are below freezing."

The CFP's expanded 12-team bracket will feature the six highest-ranked conference champions as automatic qualifiers along with the next six highest-ranked teams. The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded 1-4 with first-round byes. The next four highest-ranked teams (Nos. 5-8) will host the first-round matchups. The CFP Selection Committee will continue to determine weekly ratings with criteria to be reevaluated in the future.


Go Gophers!!
 


I just can’t see outdoor football in BiG country during December. No matter what they do, unless it’s a dome I don’t think it will happen.
I mean I guess if they're weaker than soccer players, who played a world cup qualifier in St. Paul in February in below zero weather, then we should probably move these all indoors 😂
 

MN fans are fragile hot house plants raised in a closed, sealed NFL stadium.
Football is meant to be played outside.
If one of the playoff games is played in December at Happy Valley or Madison the fans will be there.
 











I want to see the team from Florida in shock just like the Honduras team was.
And the Florida (and others) teams love to see the northern teams come down into the extreme heat and humidity. It's not really a lot different except that we all accept playing in heat. I'd argue it's easier to warm up than it is to cool down.
 








Montana state and South Dakota state played a national semifinal on December 17 in Sioux Falls
It was 5 degrees
Watched UMD play playoff games in Duluth in December.
 


Vikings played at TCF in December too.
 



Bills, Patriots
The new Bills stadium in Orchard Park is open to the elements.

I look forward to seeing the first SEC team to be dispatched to the Hoth system for a playoff game.
 


I think these schools are just dangling this stuff out there as a selling point .....
 

I would hope the NCAA doesn’t settle for that dump camp Randall even with heating coils
 

Yup, and that Seahawks game was -6. There's no reason not to host games in the midwest in December.

There are reasons, whether or not you agree pros/cons is subject to debate.

If attendance could be potentially higher for an indoor game based on seating capacity and more fans willing to attend without being subject to the elements would be a reason.

If a school does not have the resources or unwilling to allocate to winterize their stadium to prevent all the pipes to the restroom freezing, that would also be a valid reason to move indoors or a nearby NFL stadium/dome.

Personal experience I went to the Vikings game against Carolina in January 2014. Game time temp, +6. Sat in the sun, while miserable I made it through the game and while thawing out at home I got violently sick. Not sure if hypothermia induces vomiting, it was more likely an undercooked TCF Bank bratwurst.

Next season I was offered a ticket to the Vikings/Seattle Playoff game. Passed.

I did attend to the Gophers/Hawkeyes game this past November. Those conditions I would guess would be my absolute limit.
 

0 but not by choice.

I would bet that most B1G teams would sell out a home playoff game in December pretty easily.
Most likely yes, but to even get to that point they have to spend the resources to accommodate fans by winterizing their facilities as Wisconsin/Penn St are doing.

Other schools might not be willing or able to do that, which was why playing multiple games in December 2020 without any fans is not really a valid comp, in my opinion.

Not a concern for USC nor UCLA, and perhaps Maryland would be fine as well or they could just stage such a game at the Ravens or Commandos stadiums.
 

What was the attendance for those December 2020 Big 10 contests?
I would imagine the Gopher/Iowa game this year was as cold as the average December day.

One thing I've realized from the colder weather games - you can't be passive. All the fans are a lot more into the game because cheering/moving around keeps you warm.
 

I would imagine the Gopher/Iowa game this year was as cold as the average December day.

One thing I've realized from the colder weather games - you can't be passive. All the fans are a lot more into the game because cheering/moving around keeps you warm.
Yes, that helps.

I punted on drinking beer, after the first one got slushy rather quickly. Not sure if that helped or hindered.
 




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