Big Ten, Yankee Stadium Officials Discuss Possible Bowl Game

Northwestern Univ. Also In Talks About Playing Regular Season Football Game At Ballpark

Big Ten officials "have met with Yankee Stadium representatives to discuss a bowl game that would be played" at the stadium, according to Teddy Greenstein of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Big Ten Associate Commissioner Mark Rudner "cautioned that any bowl game at Yankee Stadium would not occur during the four-year cycle that will begin after the 2010 regular season." The NCAA has "yet to certify Yankee Stadium, and the Big Ten is already far along in negotiations with other bowls." But Yankee Stadium officials "made a solid case with athletic directors during spring meetings," and one scenario "would have a Big Ten team face a Big East opponent." Greenstein notes Northwestern Univ. also is talking to Yankee Stadium officials about "playing a regular-season game" at the ballpark. Northwestern AD Jim Phillips said that it is "something the school will 'actively pursue.'" Yankees manager Joe Girardi is a Northwestern alum and Yankees Chair George Steinbrenner worked as an assistant coach at the school in '55, and Phillips said that both have been "involved in the discussions." But Phillips' "top priority remains creating a regular-season game at Wrigley Field in either November 2010 (vs. Iowa or Illinois) or November 2011 (vs. Michigan or Rice)." Phillips said that he "envisions the Yankee Stadium game taking place a year after the game at Wrigley Field" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/2).