Big Ten makes odd change to 2023's Penn State-Michigan State football game

The conference announced the decision on Wednesday, which ESPN's Pete Thamel described as being "part of the 'horse trading' with NBC and the Big Ten" and that "Michigan State and Penn State made significant concessions for the good of the league" by agreeing to move the game to a neutral site.

Few fans would rather watch a game in a modern, soulless NFL stadium than in the aura and mystique of college stadiums, but as part of the conference's new TV rights deal with NBC, fans' wishes are meaningless. On Aug. 18, 2022, The Athletic reported NBC is paying $350 million per year to air 16 games in 2023 and 15 games per season from 2024-30. 

Per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, "Michigan State will refund tickets and parking to season-ticket holders for the original Penn State game" scheduled for Nov. 25 at home, with tickets for the game at Ford Field being sold separately.

The move also knocks the number of Michigan State home games down to six in 2023. Athletic director Alan Haller acknowledged "the impact it will have on some fans" but reasoned that with the game falling on a holiday weekend, it "increased our willingness to make the move." 

Rittenberg notes that the Thanksgiving weekend will be a busy one at Ford Field. On Thursday, the Lions host the Packers in the annual game on Thanksgiving Day. The Nittany Lions and Spartans play a day later and then the Michigan high school state championships take place on Saturday and Sunday. 

It's unclear why—instead of having NBC air the game from Michigan State—Ford Field has been deemed a more attractive destination for the network's "Black Friday" game.

Granted, all those fans who planned on going to the game who will have to watch it at home will only help NBC in the ratings.

College football is always looking for ways to get bigger but this is a move in the wrong direction. More college games need to be played on college campuses, not less. Instead, we can probably expect a proliferation of neutral site games as networks attempt to make the biggest spectacle possible out of a product they paid a ton of money to air.