Lions to host new bowl game at Ford Field

It's officially official: A new bowl game is coming to Ford Field, and it will be hosted by the Detroit Lions. The Lions made the official announcement on Wednesday morning, and they revealed that this new game will begin play in 2014. The Lions also revealed that they have agreed to a six-year partnership with the Big Ten for the bowl game, meaning a team from that conference will annually play at Ford Field in December.

The bowl game, which will tentatively make its debut on Dec. 30, 2014, doesn't have an official name just yet. The Lions are still getting the sponsorship agreements in order for the game, so they don't have an official announcement to make about that right now. The same goes for the other conference that will be affiliated with this game, although it's previously been reported that the ACC will be matched up against the Big Ten.

Here's what Lions president Tom Lewand had to say about this new game:

"We are thrilled to be hosting a new bowl game in Detroit that will be anchored by an annual commitment from the Big Ten," said Detroit Lions Team President Tom Lewand. "In addition to showcasing our city and its rich football tradition, this game will be an opportunity for fans to enjoy a postseason matchup featuring one of college football’s best conferences."

According to their press release on this news, the Lions are only the second team in the NFL to "officially host and operate a college football bowl game." The Houston Texans are the other, and it looks like the Lions' new bowl game will mean the end of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (formerly the Motor City Bowl), at least in its current form.