B1G Championship game expected to break attendance record
As it turns out, some new blood in the Big Ten title game was a good thing. Fans from Michigan and Iowa have flocked to Indianapolis in anticipation of Saturday’s championship bout and attendance is reportedly set to be record-breaking.
The game, according to CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd, is sold out. Lucas Oil Stadium seats up to 70,000 fans.
Big Ten: Tomorrow's championship game is sold out and will set a champ game attendance record eclipsing the old record of 66,985 for the 2015 game.
— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) December 3, 2021
If everyone shows up that bought a ticket, it’ll break the attendance record for the Big Ten title game set in 2015 when Iowa and Michigan State battled it out.
In beating Ohio State last weekend, Michigan broke a string of 4 straight Big Ten title game appearances for the Buckeyes. The Wolverines will be playing for their first Big Ten title since 2004, but they’ll be making their first-ever appearance in the actual championship game, which was instituted in 2011.
Since the East-West configuration was implemented 3 years later, Wisconsin has represented the Big Ten West in 4 of the last 7 title games. Northwestern has 2 appearances. Iowa is in the game for the first time since that 2015 game.
Ticket demand has been through the roof. Michigan received 23,000 requests for the 11,000 tickets it was allotted. On ticket resale marketplaces, the cheapest seat still runs more than $200.
The 2nd-ranked Wolverines (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten) and 13th-ranked Hawkeyes (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) meet Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.