Maryland’s football and wrestling teams will face Rutgers in a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on Nov. 4, 2017, according to a release Tuesday.
Reports of a football game in the Bronx came out in May, but the announcement of a doubleheader including wrestling — tabbed the “Big Ten Battle in the Bronx” — is a new development. The wrestling match will be the first one to take place at the new Yankee Stadium.
“We are thrilled to participate in such a prestigious event at one of the world’s most iconic sporting venues,” Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson said in the release. “I am excited that our fans will have the opportunity to view both our football and wrestling programs on such a unique platform.
The wrestling match is slated to come first before football coach DJ Durkin’s bunch competes at the home of the New York Yankees.
The games will provide a unique opportunity for both the wrestling and football programs to play at a well-known venue in a major city.
Scheduling a doubleheader between the two programs appears to be more evidence of the Big Ten trying to create a rivalry between Maryland and Rutgers. There were previously discussions of a trophy, and the decision to make the 2017 matchups into an event further shows the conference is interested.
Maryland playing at Yankee Stadium will also give a chance for the university’s large amount of students and alumni from New York and New Jersey to attend the games.
“We’re thrilled to have the chance for both our football and wrestling programs to compete in such an iconic sporting venue,” Durkin said in the release. “Playing in Yankee Stadium will be something that excites our players, staff and fan base. It’s truly a unique opportunity and we’re looking forward to it.”
