I'm so confused - ND unhappy w/ BYU playing hardball w/ Big East.

[huskymedic]

Notre Dame Unhappy With BYU? Cancelling Football Series?

http://www.tornbysports.com/notre-dame-unhappy-with-byu-cancelling-football-series/

ND can solve the whole issue...

 

[alexd]

Interesting read. First I've heard about ND wanting to start their own network and thus needing the BE to stay together to have a home for their Olympic sports.

 

[junglehusky]

If this blows up in ND's face and they wind up in the ACC with UConn I will enjoy beating them on a regular basis even more.

 

[Jericho]

It's pretty simple. Notre Dame wants to keep football independent. However, it also needs a conference to stash its non-football sports. As long as the Big east stays somewhat big, Notre Dame is fine. BYU greatly helped that goal. And apparently Notre Dame even went out on a limb to help them. But without BYU, the status of the Big East falls.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Tell ND to just go away

 

[upstater]

The BE's TV deal with NBC? You don't say. And ND is brokering it? Is this why the ESPN money was chucked?I wonder if this is the reason why Hathaway was ousted, if he went along with ND on this and the BE basketball schools.

Regardless, English teachers all over America feel needed after this article was written, because the confusion mentioned in the first post is a by product of these bizarre three paragraphs:

First, Notre Dame vouched for BYU to join the Big East and pulled strings with NBC during the negotiations to allay the concerns and requests made by BYU’s athletic department regarding their contract with ESPN.
This unnamed source was able to inform us that both Notre Dame and Boise State “vouched/pitched” for BYU to become a member of the Big East. As part of that, Notre Dame was able to get guarantees from NBC/Comcast/Universal that they would match BYU’s guarantees for at least four nationally televised home games per year and the “guarantee” money for those games that ESPN would pay BYU.
Apparently there is an undisclosed minimum dollar amount guarantee ESPN has given BYU. This new Big East contract would end up paying each team less than what BYU would make, and that they would also guarantee BYU the same as their ESPN contract is currently paying. They also guaranteed BYU rebroadcast rights to both home and road conference games.

 

[VAHuskyFan]

I realize that a random blog reporting what an unnamed ND booster supposedly said needs to be taken with a grain of salt. That said, the details in the article make sense to me.

I was confident that the BYU-Big East deal would get done because it made both sides so much better off. So I'm convinced someone was obstinate/irrational given that the talks fell apart. This is a very plausible description of obstinacy on the part of BYU -- namely, being unwilling to trade 2 national broadcasts a year for a BCS conference, better competition, access to bowl tie-ins, and (very likely) more money. I can understand why ND would be livid about this. ND wants what's best for ND, but at least the Irish realize that their interests are served by a viable Big East. BYU doesn't seem to have grasped that basic fact.

I'm intrigued by the notion that ND and Boise State might threaten to drop BYU from their schedules. Somehow I doubt that BYU would cave to strong-arm tactics (they seemingly would be happy to play 6 FCS teams at home each year as long as they are nationally televised games), but you never know.

 

[RS9999X]

I think ND saw it as a model they could use with the BE.

The article fails to mention the right to replay games--immediately after they are done including international markets. In theory a ND @BYU game at 3:00 EST would be rebroadcast at 7:00pm the same night on the BYU Network in direct competition with ESPN or NBC and wouldn't be available to ESPN Classic as it isn't a Network owned product..

 

[The Funster]

Judging by the article:

1) ND has been rebuffed by the Big 12 and ACC as hosts for all their nonfootball sports.

2) ND's football product still has considerable influence with NBC

3) Because of that influence, ND will remain independent

4) ND has a compelling reason to keep the BE together

I hate to say it but it looks like ND still has the power to not only keep the BE together but can help negotiate a favorable deal for the BE with NBC. Still, I don't see how that is enough to keep the football schools from looking to jump for a better deal. ND has to know this and I wonder why they think that cobbling together a NBE will satisfy their long term interests. ND may think the BYU is being stubborn and a bit unreasonable. However, if they look in the mirror, they might see some of that in their own behavior. Is football independence really that important?

 

[upstater]

Judging by the article:

1) ND has been rebuffed by the Big 12 and ACC as hosts for all their nonfootball sports.

2) ND's football product still has considerable influence with NBC

3) Because of that influence, ND will remain independent

4) ND has a compelling reason to keep the BE together

I hate to say it but it looks like ND still has the power to not only keep the BE together but can help negotiate a favorable deal for the BE with NBC. Still, I don't see how that is enough to keep the football schools from looking to jump for a better deal. ND has to know this and I wonder why they think that cobbling together a NBE will satisfy their long term interests. ND may think the BYU is being stubborn and a bit unreasonable. However, if they look in the mirror, they might see some of that in their own behavior. Is football independence really that important?

I wonder if ND will ask NBC for an extra cut.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

All of this may be true, but I think Boise's BCS status is also a big factor in the delay. Boise could join the Big East for $5MM next year if they don't play in a BCS game, or $21MM if they do.

 

[The Funster]

I wonder if ND will ask NBC for an extra cut.

In hindsight, if I'm the BE a few years ago I approach ND and say, "Agree to join us for football, we'll negotiate with NBC as partners for all sports with you and we'll give you preferred $ and covergae for football."

 

[freescooter]

It strikes me as interesting, and I think it is probably true, that Notre Dame needs the BigEast to stay together as a big time league in order for them to keep their football independence. They know that the so called "Catholic conference" of Big East non-football schools just won't cut it as a home for their other sports and nobody else is likely to give them a home without bringing football along. Seems to make sense as to why they are in charge of the expansion committee. I don't think they really want to have to compete in the B-10...as a private smaller school it would be very difficult in my view(ND has +-8500 undergrads, Northwestern has 12000, the next smallest B-10 school, Nebraska has 25,000). nor do they want to join the ACC which would be a very tough sell to the alumni and supporters due to location and frankly the priority/quality of football. They ain't going to the B-12, SEC or PAC either so that leaves putting together a Big East deal as their much preferred option.

 

[Jericho]

It strikes me as interesting, and I think it is probably true, that Notre Dame needs the BigEast to stay together as a big time league in order for them to keep their football independence. They know that the so called "Catholic conference" of Big East non-football schools just won't cut it as a home for their other sports and nobody else is likely to give them a home without bringing football along. Seems to make sense as to why they are in charge of the expansion committee. I don't think they really want to have to compete in the B-10...as a private smaller school it would be very difficult in my view(ND has +-8500 undergrads, Northwestern has 12000, the next smallest B-10 school, Nebraska has 25,000). nor do they want to join the ACC which would be a very tough sell to the alumni and supporters due to location and frankly the priority/quality of football. They ain't going to the B-12, SEC or PAC either so that leaves putting together a Big East deal as their much preferred option.

Pretty spot on, although I don't think the ACC would be as tough a sell as you might think. A lot of the alumni is based in the Northeast, making the "new" ACC a strong fit. And the weaker football of the ACC should only help boost the win totals and possible major Bowl bids of the football team. Notre Dame has enough name recognition that the pollsters don't really knock them for a weak schedule.

 

[freescooter]

Jericho,

I htink ANY conference owuld be a tough sell. I thnk the big 10 would be the easiest "sell" but a worse long term outcome compared to the ACC. and while you might be right about the "new ACC" being a better fit, you have to wonder what happens if they don't finish near the top every year. how long will the alumni remain interested if in the ACC Notre Dame is still relegated to the Holiday Bowl?

 

[HuskyHawk]

Jericho,

I htink ANY conference owuld be a tough sell. I thnk the big 10 would be the easiest "sell" but a worse long term outcome compared to the ACC. and while you might be right about the "new ACC" being a better fit, you have to wonder what happens if they don't finish near the top every year. how long will the alumni remain interested if in the ACC Notre Dame is still relegated to the Holiday Bowl?

If ND went to the ACC, perhaps they could condition it on VT being out of the "North" division. That would give them a very good chance to at least play in the ACC championship each year. I doubt it would happen, as the three best programs other than VT are FSU, Clemson and GT, so the south would be overloaded.

 

[freescooter]

If ND went to the ACC, perhaps they could condition it on VT being out of the "North" division. That would give them a very good chance to at least play in the ACC championship each year. I doubt it would happen, as the three best programs other than VT are FSU, Clemson and GT, so the south would be overloaded.

Those things are pretty variable. it wasn't that long ago that Clemson was hardly considered a power. Same with Georgia Tech. I think you could argue that they aren't all that good even now. I mean look at Clemson's actual performance...And FSU isn't exactly Oklahoma 1953-57...Remember that BC played in 2 ACC title games in back to back seasons, too. Beat Notre Dame both years too i think. If there were a couple of real historic powers it might matter. But in the ACC there really aren't. So what division you're in doesn't amtter either.

 

[MattMang23]

ACC seems pretty cyclical. UNC, Maryland and even (unfortunately) BCU have had strong years recently. FSU and Miami are middle of the road recently, very strong historically. I don't personally think GT and "power" is synonymous. VT is about as close as it gets to a year in year out power in the ACC. And I think - admittedly it's on a hunch - but I'd guess that ACC's southern schools wouldn't oppose a VT move to a south division if it means ND comes aboard. The opposition in my mind would likely come from VT themselves and UVA. UVA may acquiesce if promised a yearly game against VT though.