Why Marlins are poised to host a Duke-Michigan basketball game at loanDepot Park
A disagreement involving the Big 10 Conference and two media companies has put the Marlins in position to host one of next season’s marquee non-conference college basketball games.
The Marlins, Duke, Michigan and Amazon are in advanced discussions to move the Duke-Michigan game from Madison Square Garden to loanDepot Park, a source confirmed. Contracts have not been signed, but all parties are optimistic the deal will be consummated, according to a source and CBS Sports, which first reported the story.
The game would be played in the evening on Dec. 21 and compete with a Chiefs-Patriots Monday Night Football game on ABC and ESPN.
The matchup would pit the defending national champion Wolverines against one of the sport’s most popular brands (Duke).
According to CBS, Marlins owner Bruce Sherman has a close relationship with former FAU (and now Michigan coach) Dusty May and had been advocating for the Wolverines to play a game at loanDepot Park.
The need to find a new venue stemmed from Fox contesting Amazon’s right to stream a game that’s played in New York and involves a Big 10 team, because Fox’s contract with the Big 10 gives it broadcast rights to such games.
The Duke-Michigan game is a key part of Duke’s new deal for Amazon to carry three Blue Devils games this season and beyond. Duke did not believe the game would violate Fox’s contract because it is on a streaming platform. Fox disagreed.
The ACC was aware of the Amazon deal when it was announced, but the Big 10 and Michigan were not. And because Duke and Michigan had not signed a contract to play the game at the time of the Amazon announcement, that gave the Big 10 and Michigan the opportunity to contest the game being played in New York. The Big 10 and Michigan ultimately got their way because of the Fox contract.
If the game is played in Florida, it would not violate the Big 10’s TV contract with Fox. loanDepot Park because a compromise solution, as a venue, in part because of Sherman’s interest in the game and relationship with May.
This would be the first basketball game played at the Marlins’ ballpark. Other non-baseball events held at the stadium, since its opening in 2012, included a college football bowl game, a UM-FIU football game, tennis matches and this year’s Winter Classic between the Rangers and Panthers.
As part of the deal with Amazon, the Blue Devils will play UConn in Las Vegas, Gonzaga in Detroit and Michigan, now likely in Miami.
This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 7:21 PM.
