Marinatto: Notre Dame chairs the Big East expansion committee

[Rumrunner]

The irony is so very, very rich.

 

[alexd]

Another comment from the presser:

"Notre Dame is as committed as any member to moving forward with the conference and excited about 12-team fb model..."

That's because with the BE, ND has a sweetheart deal that no other conference would give them and they know it.

 

[BlueMAB]

That's because with the BE, ND has a sweetheart deal that no other conference would give them and they know it.

That is very debatable. The ACC could give them a home, as could the Big 12. They bring value to the basketball contract, pretending they don't just because they won't join for football, or acting like the Big East hasn't benefited from the association is ignoring reality.

 

[ZooCougar]

This is a joke right?

I am starting to think that the reason this conference exists is to provide Notre Dame a bigtime basketball conference to play in and still remain independent in football.

This has to be a joke.

 

[The Funster]

I am so sick of ND. How can an institution, which is not fully invested in the conference, even be on the expansion committee let alone chair it?

 

[CL82]

What Swofford wasn't available?

 

[BlueMAB]

I am so sick of ND. How can an institution, which is not fully invested in the conference, even be on the expansion committee let alone chair it?

They shouldn't be chairing the committee, but they aren't the reason we're in this position. They did nothing to cause this. Nothing.

 

[TheRogers]

That's the way to play hardball with Notre Dame Big East presidents!

All of you collective told ND, "You can keep your FB money AND play your Olympic sports in the this league! You've benefited from the reputation of Big East basketball all these years and we're here to say enough is enough! You're going to earn your keep in this conference like everyone else. For starters, you're going to head the expansion committee! That's right ND, NOTHING IS FOR FREE!"

 

[huskeynut]

Stupid move.

 

[UConnJim]

I think there could be a good reason why ND is chair of the expansion committee. At this time, the BE can not negotiate media rights with anyone except ESPN. So, the BE can not talk to NBC about the potential value of the new BE. But, ND is a business partner with NBC and they can talk about all kinds of potential values, with the exception of specific values for a BE contract.

If, and it is a big if, the BE pulls off the 12 team football conference and keeps the basketball schools, NBC may be willing to pony up a big contract as the BE would present a lot of inventory for NBC. Imagine, a BE football game on Thursday night, one on Saturday at noon, followed by ND, and then a BE Saturday night game. For the winter, there is plenty of inventory of men's and women's basketball.

 

[jpm25]

That's the way to play hardball with Notre Dame Big East presidents!

All of you collective told ND, "You can keep your FB money AND play your Olympic sports in the this league! You've benefited from the reputation of Big East basketball all these years and we're here to say enough is enough! You're going to earn your keep in this conference like everyone else. For starters, you're going to head the expansion committee! That's right ND, NOTHING IS FOR FREE!"

you are right, nothing is for free. The football side of the house has enjoyed better bowl tie-ins than it deserved for years because of the chance that each bowl would land ND in a given year. Was ND let into the conference before the BE was the BE and benefitted from its rise? Perhaps, at least from a UConn perspective (maybe not a GU, SJU, Nova, etc point of view). In retrospect, perhaps ND cut a better deal than the BE did. Do we blame them for that? Do they owe the conference? My answer would be no.

Do I think ND should be expansion chair? My outsider view is that they are conflicted, but do you think Navy, Boise, etc., etc. would be more likely to join if they got a call inviting them from the BE chair who is the President of Notre Dame, or from the BE chair who is the President of Cincinatti? And I mean no disrespect to Cincinatti. There is really no other school more motivated to make the BE work than ND.

 

[jpm25]

I think there could be a good reason why ND is chair of the expansion committee. At this time, the BE can not negotiate media rights with anyone except ESPN. So, the BE can not talk to NBC about the potential value of the new BE. But, ND is a business partner with NBC and they can talk about all kinds of potential values, with the exception of specific values for a BE contract.

If, and it is a big if, the BE pulls off the 12 team football conference and keeps the basketball schools, NBC may be willing to pony up a big contract as the BE would present a lot of inventory for NBC. Imagine, a BE football game on Thursday night, one on Saturday at noon, followed by ND, and then a BE Saturday night game. For the winter, there is plenty of inventory of men's and women's basketball.

So you are suggesting that a conference member discuss a secret side deal during an exclusivity period with a competitor to our media partner? I'm sure this is what the league presidents had in mind.

 

[freescooter]

That is very debatable. The ACC could give them a home, as could the Big 12. They bring value to the basketball contract, pretending they don't just because they won't join for football, or acting like the Big East hasn't benefited from the association is ignoring reality.

They bring some basketball value, but really, if they left I'm not sure they'd be missed on anything like the level of UCONN, Louisville or even Villanova or Georgetown. Everyt time it seems that the Big East might outgrow its need for Notre Dame on the football side where it also brings some indirect benefit, some disaster or other occurs to restore the mess...

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

Although it is ironic, in all honesty, Notre Dame may have the biggest incentive in keeping the Big East Football Conference alive out of all of the Big East teams. They may have the most at stake here (their football independence and NBC contract).

After what Pitt and BC did when leading the football conference (used their position to stab the conference and basketball onlies in the back), maybe having Notre Dame try to save the Football Conference isn't that crazy of an idea!

 

[Druken Friar]

Notre Dame is the beacon that shines the way to the Big East football future. Have you seen touchdown Jesus in person? It's a sight to behold. Time to open a fresh botttle of Glenlivet and drink a toast.

 

[BlueMAB]

They bring some basketball value, but really, if they left I'm not sure they'd be missed on anything like the level of UCONN, Louisville or even Villanova or Georgetown. Everyt time it seems that the Big East might outgrow its need for Notre Dame on the football side where it also brings some indirect benefit, some disaster or other occurs to restore the mess...

They are way more valuable than Nova and Gtown. They are a national name on par with UConn/Ville (just without the same success). It doesn't matter how much more success we (and ville)have had, they are still a national name and people watch. UConn/ND is on CBS just about every year for a reason.

 

[EricLA]

This is a joke right?

I am starting to think that the reason this conference exists is to provide Notre Dame a bigtime basketball conference to play in and still remain independent in football.
This has to be a joke.

my thoughts exactly. just shows either ...

1. just how incredibly dumb the big east is or
2. that the football schools have zero power in the conference and it's really a hoops only league with some Div 1 football tag-a-longs.

either way, a sad state of affairs for the conference UCONN may be stuck in for the foreseeable future.

 

[jpm25]

They are way more valuable than Nova and Gtown. They are a national name on par with UConn/Ville (just without the same success). It doesn't matter how much more success we (and ville)have had, they are still a national name and people watch. UConn/ND is on CBS just about every year for a reason.

ND basketball is way more valuable than Nova and Georgetown? Maybe on the women's side or on another planet.

 

[Druken Friar]

Norte Dame is god! Anyone who says a bad thing about the greatest school on earth wasn't raised a christian.

 

[BlueMAB]

ND basketball is way more valuable than Nova and Georgetown? Maybe on the women's side or on another planet.

Notre Dame is a national name brand. Nova and Georgetown aren't.

 

[jpm25]

Notre Dame is a national name brand. Nova and Georgetown aren't.

That sounds an awful lot like an opinion. Georgetown and Villanova are playing each other on CBS this year. Why would CBS waste airtime on teams that aren't brands?

Villanova and Georgetown can fly their NCAA champtionship banners during the game. ND can't do that.

 

[TheRogers]

ND has been clear about their arrangements with the BE. I have no contention with that. It's seems like ND's main currency though is the possibility that it plays against a team or it might participate in a given bowl. As shallow as that sounds, I will contend as well that the Big East walked into that with both eyes wide open.

What I have a hard time accepting is when the BE the league that it supposedly wants to keep alive, could really use it's help, I'd hope ND steps up and give more than it's mystique to other schools. Maybe it's a thrill for the prospective colleges to hear the president of ND on the other end extend that invitation. But if their's still instability out there, throw in something more tangible to go with it. How about a committment to play at least 3 big east teams in FB comes to mind.WVU, Ville, Cincy, Rutgers, and UCONN will most likely bolt if givien the chance. How about offering WVU a home and home every other year provided they remain in the BE. Will that ensure that WVU will stay? Most likely not, but at least it's something tangible.

Just my take on this.

 

[freescooter]

sportsguy, you might not be that far from wrong. Notre Dame has some options, but by far the Big East is the best. they have little interest in playing in the Big 12. the southwest isn't their "natural territory" by any stretch. Even in the ACC without BC, Pitt & Syracuse, they have natural constituencies in places like Florida, and parts of the Carolina coasts as well as Maryland. Not so much in Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma. the other thing is that the big 12 may not match up all that well for olympic/other sports. For example the Irish mens soccer team is nationally ranked...and would have to find another home somewhere. It could certainly be done, but after a while trying to line up seperate leagues for various sports gets to be a problem. Who knows if the ACC would offer a non-football membership. thus far they have not been willing to do that. And for many reasons, Notre Dame isn't really interested in playing in a "Catholic" league. Partly it is identity in the same way that football independence is. Partly, the basketball would likely be a step down from what they are used to. It is one thing to play Seton Hall and providence between UCONN and Louisville. Quite another when the latter aren't coming.

 

[jpm25]

I took a quick look at the schedules. Including preseason tournaments, ND is on tv 24 times including every single game after christmas when big east play heats up, Nova 16 times with 5 games after christmas not being televised. Georgetown has 26 games televised, but they are playing in Maui, which is the essentially difference in televised games between them and ND.

I'll give you Georgetown, but ND is definitely more valuable than Nova.

Phew, I was about to whip out counting the number of countries in the world have had a head of state that was a Geogetown alum vs. an ND alum and elevating this to a "global brand" discussion.

 

[freescooter]

That sounds an awful lot like an opinion. Georgetown and Villanova are playing each other on CBS this year. Why would CBS waste airtime on teams that aren't brands?

Villanova and Georgetown can fly their NCAA champtionship banners during the game. ND can't do that.

Those NCAA banners are from almost 30 years ago. Not sure they are all that meaningful to anyone under 45. As to why they are on CBS, they likely both will be ranked. TWo ranked teams are usually a pretty attractive game.