The Detroit Lions announced yesterday that they are embarking on a six-year partnership with the Big Ten conference for a new bowl game to be played at Ford Field in 2014.
The inaugural game, tentatively scheduled for December 30, 2014, will be named once corporate partnership agreements are worked out.
Reports have suggested that the matchup will pit Big Ten teams against the ACC, though this was not confirmed in the press release sent Wednesday.
Most recently, Ford Field was the home of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, formerly the Motor City Bowl. Founded by MSU trustee and former MSU football head coach George Perles, the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl will no longer take place at Ford Field after the 2013 season.
The Big Ten has sent a representative to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl three times (Northwestern, 2003; Purdue, 2007 and 2011).
Besides bowl games, the city of Detroit has hosted many noteworthy sporting events in the past 10 years, including the 2006 Super Bowl, WrestleMania in 2007, the 2009 NCAA Men’s basketball Final Four and the 2010 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Frozen Four.
The Detroit Lions are the second NFL team to host and operate a college football bowl game, with the Houston Texans hosting a bowl game in 2006.
“We are pleased to join with the Detroit Lions in creating this new postseason bowl game in Detroit,” Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said in a press release. “
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