Despite freezing temperatures and a winter storm moving into the state this weekend, Indiana is sticking with its plan to hold an outdoor national championship celebration Saturday.
The IU Athletics department announced an update on Friday.
IU believes fans will spend less time outside by having the event outside, due to the time it would take to get fans through security at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. They are encouraging fans to wait in their cars as long as possible ahead of the 1 p.m. ET start.
Moreover, many members of the 2025 team are leaving Bloomington on Sunday to begin preparations for the 2026 NFL Draft, so they wouldn’t be available to participate if the event was postponed to a later date.
Here’s the full statement from IU Athletics.
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The Indiana Football College Football Playoff National Championship celebration, scheduled for 1–1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24, at IU’s Memorial Stadium, will proceed as planned.
Consistent with all IU Football events, IU Athletics is consulting regularly with its meteorologist and is aware of the below-average temperatures predicted for Saturday. In making this decision, we considered that this weekend’s predicted snowfall is not expected until Saturday evening through Sunday, well after the conclusion of the event.
By keeping the celebration at the stadium rather than moving it indoors, we aim to minimize the total time attendees are exposed to the elements. If the event was moved to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, we anticipate fans would spend multiple hours standing in lines to secure entry.
Additionally, we want Hoosier fans to have the opportunity to see and hear from as many members of the championship team as possible. If the celebration was delayed, many players would likely be unable to attend as they would no longer be in Bloomington.
In light of the cold temperatures, fans are encouraged to dress warmly and remain in their vehicles until close to the 1 p.m. start time. Should the weather forecast dramatically worsen, we will provide further updates as necessary.
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