Indiana loses $25 million annual Big Ten football game
Lucas Oil Stadium will host the final Big Ten championship on December 5 before the league drops the event due to CFP expansion.
By Charlotte Dubois ·
Downtown Indianapolis businesses will lose a major annual draw starting in 2028. The Big Ten Conference will hold its last football championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2026. The league announced the end of the event after the College Football Playoff expanded to 24 teams for the 2027-28 season.
Indiana Sports Corp co-hosts and organizes the game. Officials at the agency stated the event generates approximately $25 million for the local economy each year. Patrick Talty, president of Indiana Sports Corp, acknowledged the financial and cultural impact of the change.
“Obviously having the Big Ten football championship every year in December was a moment on our calendar, something everyone looked forward to every year,” Talty said. “So obviously it’s a loss; it’s a hole. But it gives us the opportunity to look and see what else is out there.”
Talty noted that the agency is working with other leaders who support the decision. The group is not part of the Big Ten’s internal decision-making process but is actively seeking new events. Monster Jam is scheduled for February and July. The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament is set for March at the same venue.
Local workers view the loss as a direct hit to revenue. Tony Cusic has worked as a bartender in downtown for more than ten years. He works at Tupelo Honey, a Southern kitchen and bar located a few blocks from the stadium. Cusic said the game was a staple that drove business for the entire block.
“I don’t think anybody is excited about it,” Cusic said. “This was something we look forward to yearly. We plan events around the Big Ten championship game, the Big Ten events.” Cusic estimated that businesses will lose thousands of dollars without the event.
Jared Prim visited from Chicago with a friend. He described the game as essential to the city's identity. “It means a lot to this city,” Prim said. “I don’t think the city deserves it. I don’t think it’s fair, but business is business.” The Big Ten Conference said in a statement that it is finalizing plans for determining future football champions. Indiana Sports Corp said it is working to make the final game memorable.
