-f7dd0b06e8fccd99.jpg

Jim Hackett isn't a fan of giving up home football games for a chance to play in large neutral site contests.

(Melanie Maxwell | MLive.com)

ANN ARBOR -- College football's neutral site football craze began several years ago, with several teams to play at least one regular season game in a giant off-campus extravaganza setting.

Michigan's football program has been involved in this once, and has at least one more neutral trip on its future schedule.

But don't expect any more, as interim athletic director Jim Hackett says he's not a fan of giving up home games at Michigan Stadium for one-off contests somewhere else.

"You can't believe the people knocking on (our) door for (neutral site opportunities) right now because of Jim Harbaugh," Hackett said this week. "And they're not really good ideas for us."

Michigan, of course, played in the 2012 Cowboys Classic against Alabama at Cowboys Stadium (now AT&T Stadium) in Texas, and is currently scheduled to open the 2017 season in the same venue against Florida.

Hackett says interest from organizers of these events -- which become more frequent each year -- has certainly increased since the Harbaugh hire, with one proposal giving Michigan the chance to play in front of 160,000 people at a venue Hackett wouldn't name.

He says he declined.

"I thought about it," he said. "But I don't think that's going to be the kind of game you'll want to see."

Of note, Tennessee and Virginia Tech are scheduled to play a football game on the infield of Bristol Motor Speedway in 2016, a venue that seats roughly 160,000. So, ideas like this do exist. Just, apparently, not for Michigan.

Not anymore anyway.

Michigan received $4.7 million for playing Alabama in the 2012 Cowboys Classic. For its neutral site game against Florida in 2017, the athletic department is scheduled to net at least $6 million for the appearance.

In 2012, for example, Michigan averaged more than $6 million in ticket sales alone from six home games at Michigan Stadium. Per Hackett, Michigan can make just as much -- and in some cases, more -- money staying at home, in a stadium Michigan fans have grown to adore.

"We have the biggest stadium in the world, we have season ticket holders that say 'why would you move a game away from us?' " he said. "I'm not a big fan of those."

Elsewhere, Hackett says Michigan's not involved in any current discussions about major future non-conference football games. Michigan has non-conference dates set with at least one power five foe through 2027.

-- Download the Michigan football on MLive app for iPhone and Android

-- Download the Michigan basketball on MLive app for iPhone and Android

-- Follow Nick Baumgardner on Twitter

-- Like MLive's Michigan Wolverines Facebook