Dennis Dodd: Notre Dame should join a conference sooner rather than later

[TerryD]

Well for one thing the Big Ten teams are going to have higher revenue than ND - how is that for a fiancial reason?

ND knew this when it agreed to the ACC deal. The NBC contract keeps ND football out of a conference. That is the important thing to ND folks, not making the most TV money.

If that were the goal, ND would have joined the Big Ten back in 2010.

 

[whaler11]

ND knew this when it agreed to the ACC deal. The NBC contract keeps ND football out of a conference. That is the important thing to ND folks, not making the most TV money.

If that were the goal, ND would have joined the Big Ten back in 2010.

Oh thank God you were here. BC and ND fans in the same thread is a huge relief.

And no kidding - but our resident BC dunce said financial reasons so I gave him one.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Well for one thing the Big Ten teams are going to have higher revenue than ND - how is that for a fiancial reason?

The ND and several others have stated that independence is a higher priority than money (within reason of course) for ND. So the fact that a given conference can provide more revenue to each team that ND can get on its own will not provide enough impetus on its own for ND to change its ways. Now, if it becomes very clear that the only viable chance to make the 4 team college football playoff is to be in a conference and to win its championship game, well, that along with the revenue issue is likely enough to force ND to make a decision.

 

[WhartonHusky]

But why is winning a NC such a priority for a school like ND? I know that's every team's stated goal, but seems to me that ND prefers to remain an independent, national brand. It's as much about branding as it is about $$ or wins. They took the ACC deal because it was the most flexible and yet still enabled them to maintain a conference for other sports.

My take is that as long as ND can play it's national schedule, keep a national TV deal and remain a top 20 football program, they have checked all the necessary boxes.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

But why is winning a NC such a priority for a school like ND? I know that's every team's stated goal, but seems to me that ND prefers to remain an independent, national brand. It's as much about branding as it is about $$ or wins. They took the ACC deal because it was the most flexible and yet still enabled them to maintain a conference for other sports.

My take is that as long as ND can play it's national schedule, keep a national TV deal and remain a top 20 football program, they have checked all the necessary boxes.

Its an ego thing. ND expects to be in the national championship hunt each and every year. Winning satisfies their alumna's ego. Those with happy egos donate more money to the university. More money makes the university leaders happy who then invest some of that money back into the football team to make them better. In turn, they win more games.

Just ask Steve Patterson how well focusing just on the money instead of the winning worked out for him at U Texas.

 

[TerryD]

Oh thank God you were here. BC and ND fans in the same thread is a huge relief.

And no kidding - but our resident BC dunce said financial reasons so I gave him one.

The ND and several others have stated that independence is a higher priority than money (within reason of course) for ND. So the fact that a given conference can provide more revenue to each team that ND can get on its own will not provide enough impetus on its own for ND to change its ways. Now, if it becomes very clear that the only viable chance to make the 4 team college football playoff is to be in a conference and to win its championship game, well, that along with the revenue issue is likely enough to force ND to make a decision.

Likely?

 

[TerryD]

Its an ego thing. ND expects to be in the national championship hunt each and every year. Winning satisfies their alumna's ego. Those with happy egos donate more money to the university. More money makes the university leaders happy who then invest some of that money back into the football team to make them better. In turn, they win more games.

Just ask Steve Patterson how well focusing just on the money instead of the winning worked out for him at U Texas.

So, why do about 110 or so FBS schools play football, exactly? Outside of the usual 15 or so suspects, most of the other programs have very little chance of making the playoffs or winning a national championship.

Don't their alumni have egos? I know you guys don't like to hear from ND fans when discussing ND....but what if ND decides that it values independence over playoff access? It is allowed to decide that for itself.

Playoffs are a once in a while thing, but independence and branding are 24/7/365.

(Back to reading and not posting.....).

 

[The X Man]

(Back to reading and not posting.....).

Promise?

 

[sportsart]

Someone help me out here. ND reportedly gets $15 mill per year from NBC until 2025. I don't know what they get from ESPN for their away games but how is it this deal is better than what the B1G is supposed to be getting in their next BTN deal worth around $40 mill per team?

What am I missing?

 

[CallMeBruce]

So, why do about 110 or so FBS schools play football, exactly? Outside of the usual 15 or so suspects, most of the other programs have very little chance of making the playoffs or winning a national championship.

Don't their alumni have egos? I know you guys don't like to hear from ND fans when discussing ND....but what if ND decides that it values independence over playoff access? It is allowed to decide that for itself.

Playoffs are a once in a while thing, but independence and branding are 24/7/365.

(Back to reading and not posting.....).

Because "branding" is going to have a lot less value for a team that never competes for a title. Though, in ND's case, their inability to compete for a title will be more about their decades-long decline into mediocrity than their lack of league affiliation.

 

[TerryD]

Because "branding" is going to have a lot less value for a team that never competes for a title. Though, in ND's case, their inability to compete for a title will be more about their decades-long decline into mediocrity than their lack of league affiliation.

So, I guess that is another reason to not join a football conference since it just won't even matter?

 

[TerryD]

Someone help me out here. ND reportedly gets $15 mill per year from NBC until 2025. I don't know what they get from ESPN for their away games but how is it this deal is better than what the B1G is supposed to be getting in their next BTN deal worth around $40 mill per team?

What am I missing?

$15 million a year was for the old deal 2010-15. The new ten year deal through 2025 is rumored to be for $20-23 million, though as yet, here are no real, reported numbers on the new deal since ND is a private school. Nothing has leaked out yet.

Either way, Purdue will make much more money from TV than ND will. ND is well aware of this, but it really doesn't matter.

 

[WhartonHusky]

Agree with TerryD. There is a big difference between Texas and ND. ND wants to play a national schedule for the brand, exposure, not the football team. If football was the key to branding and alum donations, why did the Ivies allow their sports to sink into mediocrity?

 

[sportsart]

$15 million a year was for the old deal 2010-15. The new ten year deal through 2025 is rumored to be for $20-23 million, though as yet, here are no real, reported numbers on the new deal since ND is a private school. Nothing has leaked out yet.

Either way, Purdue will make much more money from TV than ND will. ND is well aware of this, but it really doesn't matter.

The most recent contract extension reportedly calls for Notre Dame to be paid $15 million a year until 2025

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/12/opinion/joe-nocera-notre-dames-big-bluff.html

 

[TerryD]

The most recent contract extension reportedly calls for Notre Dame to be paid $15 million a year until 2025

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/12/opinion/joe-nocera-notre-dames-big-bluff.html

This is from 2011, prior to the renewal of the contract from 2015-25:


"Unlike the other 13 schools on the list, Notre Dame is able to turn a profit without being part of a conference. They have their own lucrative television contract, rumored to garner them about $15m a year. However, Notre Dame finance professor Richard Sheehan, who was involved with the NBC negotiations, has said the rumored value is low. “The NBC contract is more lucrative than pretty much anyone knows,” he says."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sportsmoney/2011/04/19/how-does-notre-dame-do-financially/

There is some lazy reporting out there that runs that number for the renewal as well. Does anyone really think that ND signed a locked in ten year deal with NBC for no increase (at a time when other TV contracts are expanding)?

The 2005-10 NBC deal was for $9 million/yr. The 2010-15 deal was for $15 million/yr. The new deal is for more money, ND sources have rumored it to be around $20-23 million.

It really doesn't matter. Purdue and Illinois will make multiple millions per year more in TV money. ND isn't interested in making the most TV money. The NBC contract is the vehicle that allows it to remain independent in football and have all of its games televised every Saturday OTA (which is a big deal to ND).

 

[pj]

It really doesn't matter. Purdue and Illinois will make multiple millions per year more in TV money. ND isn't interested in making the most TV money. The NBC contract is the vehicle that allows it to remain independent in football and have all of its games televised every Saturday OTA (which is a big deal to ND).

The AAC has something in common with Notre Dame. We also went for exposure over money in our TV contract.

 

[CL82]

So, why do about 110 or so FBS schools play football, exactly? Outside of the usual 15 or so suspects, most of the other programs have very little chance of making the playoffs or winning a national championship.

Don't their alumni have egos? I know you guys don't like to hear from ND fans when discussing ND....but what if ND decides that it values independence over playoff access? It is allowed to decide that for itself.

Playoffs are a once in a while thing, but independence and branding are 24/7/365.

(Back to reading and not posting.....).

Nah, we just don't like to hear from ND fans when a visitor to the board vaguely alludes to ND. This is fair game. IMHO.

 

[whaler11]

Who in their right mind is a fan of a football team's branding.

Oh they lost Saturday but they grew the brand!

 

[TerryD]

Who in their right mind is a fan of a football team's branding.

Oh they lost Saturday but they grew the brand!

No one said that. I said that full time independence may trump a once in a blue moon alleged "better" (possible not probable) shot at a playoff berth as a conference member.

This is about conference realignment, isn't it? That is a bigger issue than last Saturday's game.

 

[whaler11]

No one said that. I said that full time independence may trump a once in a blue moon alleged "better" (possible not probable) shot at a playoff berth as a conference member.

This is about conference realignment, isn't it? That is a bigger issue than last Saturday's game.

The five worst things about the internet:

1. Daily Fantasy Sports
2. Social Media Professionals
3. Child Smutographers
4. Uncompensated people talking about branding.
5. Lists

 

[Yawkey Way]

Agree with TerryD. T If football was the key to branding and alum donations, why did the Ivies allow their sports to sink into mediocrity?

The short answer ? In football ? .... because the Ivies could not compete at the highest levels any longer, once segregation ended, without making major, major concessions in their academic qualifiers for admittance to their schools.... thats why. So they opted to keep their academic qualifiers intact, and play football at a lower level division amongst themselves. Remember, unlike most other schools, the Ivies did not need the dough that bigtime football could potentially offer as an inducement to the school's national branding and growth prospects.

 

[WhartonHusky]

That's my point. ND currently has a top 10 endowment. More than some of the Ivies. They don't need football and a NC chase in order to attend alumni donations. It's all about being a national brand. That trumps playing in a conference championship game.

 

[businesslawyer]

Not if you're Fox. There are two sides to the media deals. The P5 can't move without both partners being happy. They are all intertwined financially.

Which I why I don't think the B12 will collapses and why I think this year's B12 champ gets the VIP treatment if it's a close call for the last spot.

To paraphrase Apollo Creed's cornerman, most people don't know it's a show. They think it's a real fight. NCAA Football isn't a real merit based competition, it's a show.

You have overthought this by a lot. I am not saying the selection will be devoid of politics, but if the crap you are talking about happens it will come out because someone will want a book deal.

 

[SubbaBub]

You have overthought this by a lot. I am not saying the selection will be devoid of politics, but if the crap you are talking about happens it will come out because someone will want a book deal.

Perhaps this is true but remember who is on this panel. These are people hand picked by the P5. It may only take the known biases of a handful of people to alter the result. I'm assuming the 4th spot would be close in any objective process.

There doesn't need to be an overt conspiracy.