After the NFL’s owners voted to pass a resolution to change the AFC playoff rules in the wake of the medical emergency suffered by Bills safety Damar Hamlin, the possibility of playing the conference championship game at a neutral site became a legitimate possibility. As a result, the league has begun to survey its options around the country, a task that’s already proving to be more difficult than expected.
Indianapolis had reportedly turned down a request from the NFL to potentially host the AFC championship game, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. The city cited “scheduling conflicts” as the primary reason for doing so after the league asked earlier this week about hosting the game on Jan. 28 or 29.
Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts and the primary option to host a conference championship in Indianapolis, already has an event scheduled for that same weekend: a national volleyball tournament hosted by Capitol Sports Center that is expected to bring about 30,000 people to the downtown Indianapolis area.
