Big Ten Looking At Detroit, Minneapolis, and Omaha For 2018 Big Ten Tournament

The Big Ten Tournament has been in rotation for the last few years between Chicago and Indianapolis, but with the recent additions of Maryland and Rutgers, it looks like the Big Ten is looking to keep its premier basketball event in a firm rotation of several cities and regions.  The addition of Washington, D.C. as a location for the 2017 Big Ten Tournament alone shows that the conference is willing to think outside the box.

According to an article posted by the Chicago Tribune, the Big Ten is apparently considering some other large Midwestern locations.  These locations are listed as Detroit, Minneapolis, and Omaha.  For a great deal of Big Ten fans, this is exciting news.  Chicago and Indianapolis are great locations and many have commented on the great job the people in Indy did for the last few conference events there, but to be able to move things around is great news.

Obviously, moves to these cities would not be great with everyone, but when you look at some of the recent locations and where things are placed, it could be very exciting.  Detroit would obviously be a great location for Michigan fans, MSU fans, and even a good chunk of Big Ten schools in Indiana and Ohio.  Though you can debate whether this is the best location from a population basis, Detroit has done a great job with the events they have hosted in recent years and I wouldn't expect this to be any different.  The Detroit Red Wings are also building a new arena, which is expected to be finished by 2017, so the new arena would be a big attraction.

Minneapolis and Omaha could also be interesting locations.  The travel for Minnesota and Nebraska fans out to places like Washington, D.C. is simply ridiculous, so it would be nice to see them get an event closer to home.  Both programs also look to be on the rise, which could make for some exciting crowds.

Nothing has been announced officially yet, but it looks like we might be seeing some new things out of the Big Ten in the coming years and for its conference tournament.