Its official, the Michigan State Spartans will be in the first ever Big Ten Football Championship Game. Fans of all ages can look forward to not only the game itself, but to go along with the inaugural game will be the first Big Ten Fan Fest Presented by Dr Pepper at the Indian Convention Center.
The event is said to feature an interactive experience that includes exhibits, games, give-aways, school band performances, trivia contests, legends appearances, and autograph opportunities among other things.
The event is a spawn of the Big Ten Conference and FOX Sports, and will begin Friday, Dec 2 with the invitation-only Big Ten Football Awards Gala held in the Fan Fest area of the convention center. The Gala will be hosted by Dave Revsine and will feature Bill Polian of the Indianapolis Colts and Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany. Among Former players speaking will be Big Ten legends Anthony Thompson of Indiana and Archie Griffin of Ohio State. There will also be 17 individual awards going to players and coaches this season.
The Big Ten Fan Fest will finally open to the public on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 10:00 AM ET and remain open until 8:00 PM ET. There will also be a number of activities on Saturday that fans don’t want to miss.
Here are some of the events for Saturday:
- Photo opportunity with Big Ten Championship Trophy;
- A special edition of Big Ten Network’s BTN LIVE originates at 11:00 AM ET;
- Dr Pepper Field, where throughout the day Dr Pepper hosts football clinics, celebrity appearances and pep rallies;
- Over 20 games and interactive experiences for fans of all ages;
- BTN is creating a display where fans are able to get their photo catching a ball in a mockup of the Big Ten Football Championship Game end zone in a 360° format;
- Call the Play, a first-hand experience to pose as a game analyst;
- Championship Stage, where interviews with football legends will be conducted;
- Exciting interactive exhibits and giveaways from sponsors including Allstate, Nissan, Ford, Comcast and BTN;
- The Big Ten Store, featuring authentic team and conference merchandise;
- Team marching band appearances;
- Legends and Leaders Grill.
The expected crowd is between 30,000 and 50,000 people, and anyone with tickets to the game will be admitted free of charge. If you are not attending the game you can still get tickets at the price of $8 for adults and $4 for children (12 and under). Ticket information is available at www.bigten.org or tickets can be purchased at the Indiana Convention Center box office.
If you decide to stay home for the game rather than make the trip, FOX Sports’ exclusive prime time coverage of the inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game begins at 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, Dec. 3, live from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Whether you are watching from home or making the trip to the game, Spartan fans and players should feel pride in knowing they’re part of the first ever Big Ten Championship game and festivities.
