Fansided

AT&T Stadium to host Big 12 championship game

By Brad Berreman

Sep 3, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; General view of AT&T Stadium during the playing of the National Anthem before an NCAA football game between the USC Trojans and the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium. Alabama defeated USC 52-6. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; General view of AT&T Stadium during the playing of the National Anthem before an NCAA football game between the USC Trojans and the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium. Alabama defeated USC 52-6. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Big 12 championship game is coming back next year, and now we know where it will take place.

A reduction to 10 teams led to the Big 12 choosing to not have a championship game for football, but it is rightfully coming back in 2017 after a six-year absence. As for where it will take place, it was announced on Friday AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas will play host to the Big 12 championship game from 2017-2021.

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby issued a statement upon release of the news.

"“There is great anticipation with the return of the Big 12 Football Championship and we look forward to hosting the event in AT&T Stadium for the next five years,” Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in a statement. “The building is a state of the art facility and offers many amenities that will be enjoyed by our institutions and fans.”"

AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and tongue-in-cheekly labeled “Jerry World” after team owner Jerry Jones, played host to the last two Big 12 title games in 2009 and 2010. Kansas City and San Antonio were also in the running to host the game, and presumably both cities will remain in the mix in the future.

As for where the newly instituted Big 12 title game will be televised, Fox will have it first next year and in odd-numbered years through 2023. ESPN will take over in even-numbered years through 2024. It’s worth noting both broadcast partners will have the Big 12 title game past AT&T Stadium’s current announced run, so the host site seems likely to be different over the final few years of the current television contracts.

Next: College Football Week 12: FanSided expert picks

Bringing back a football title game will help put the Big 12 back on par with the other Power 5 conferences. An eventual clear conference champion, determined on the field, will also be in far better position to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff. That does assume said team is a zero or one-loss squad, but the Big 12 will no longer be a noted exception without a conference championship game.

Home/College Football