Notre Dame (according to ESPN)

[1husky]

I believe ND to the ACC was decided weeks ago or even as far back as a year ago. The timing just wasn’t right back then. Thus the posturing from ND about “seismic shifts” making them possibly reconsider independence in the future. Also, why would FSU, VT, and Clemson, etc agree to increasing the penalty for leaving the ACC to $20M last week?? Because they knew Pitt / SU were coming followed closely by UConn and, most importantly, ND. Football schools, Basketball schools, presidents, and alumni will all be happy and BC will not block us because we are coming with ND AND we fill up their stadium / arena.

The admin at ND understands the culture, demographics, competitiveness, athletics, and tv require them to join a conference. They just need the alumni / donors to believe they are being forced into the best of all bad situations and the ACC is not really that bad of a situation for them. Just need to have the alumni see 16 team conferences are a reality when Texas makes their move to the PAC first and then all the pieces will be in place. The media is already talking about this as are all the message boards so the donors can get comfortable with the idea.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

Why would FSU be so upset with the addition of a UConn or Rutgers? Well, Rutgers I get, but UConn?

It's not the UConn or Rutgers part it's the UConn and Rutgers part. They want ND and UConn and/or Rutgers. Notre Dame and Texas hold a lot of cards and are probably trying to wait each other out. ND desperately would love for Texas to not go to the PAC so that they don't have to worry about getting locked out of the 4 x 64 superconference structure. I would assume there are discussions ongoing about what the structure would be of a merged Big 12/Big East that include the possibility of Texas and Notre Dame being a part of it. This would be the best possible outcome for ND regardless of whether Texas goes indie for football or remains as a full member of the Big Merge. Either way UConn will be OK I think. But I'd rather not be in a conference where ND is halfway in. Honestly, I think we'll be waiting a long while for everyone to go to 16 if ND doesn't decide to go to a conference soon.

Even if Texas goes to the PAC the ACC and Big 10 are not going all the way to 16 until ND makes a decision. I could see a situation where they both get to 15 and just wait.

 

[gars44]

I believe FSU wants another football power school like ND or PSU if they can get it. Texas would be another. If WVU is invited, it would be because FSU wanted it happen or they bolt for the SEC. $20M is not going to stop anyone from leaving a conference. A&M already proved that.

Right. FSU just doesn't want to be playing football with a bunch of pansies, such as the old ACC and the new big east. They may have to, but they are asking themselves, why are we becoming the new Big Least? Why are we expanding to take in Rut, Uconn, Syracuse and Pitt? What do they bring to the table? Why didn't we just hold tight at 12? That's the FSU line. Now the rest of the conference is saying, OK, what do we have when FSU and VT bolt to the SEC? How are we positioned? One answer to that question is, if you have the northeast fairly well locked up, you can develop a rivalry up and down the coast that is bullet proof to any attacks on the aq bid, and makes for a profitable conference in the no.1 demographic. It's a form of protection. So, I don't think anyone is posturing for WVA right now. It's ND, and if not, at least solidify the eastern demographic, and esp., NYC. To do that Rutgers has to be in the equation.

 

[gars44]

I believe ND to the ACC was decided weeks ago or even as far back as a year ago. The timing just wasn’t right back then. Thus the posturing from ND about “seismic shifts” making them possibly reconsider independence in the future. Also, why would FSU, VT, and Clemson, etc agree to increasing the penalty for leaving the ACC to $20M last week?? Because they knew Pitt / SU were coming followed closely by UConn and, most importantly, ND. Football schools, Basketball schools, presidents, and alumni will all be happy and BC will not block us because we are coming with ND AND we fill up their stadium / arena.

The admin at ND understands the culture, demographics, competitiveness, athletics, and tv require them to join a conference. They just need the alumni / donors to believe they are being forced into the best of all bad situations and the ACC is not really that bad of a situation for them. Just need to have the alumni see 16 team conferences are a reality when Texas makes their move to the PAC first and then all the pieces will be in place. The media is already talking about this as are all the message boards so the donors can get comfortable with the idea.

Conspiracy theory. The NSA is also monitoring your posts. (I really don't look like this!)

 

[TerryD]

What I don't understand about your initial point, however, is that ND's bid to keep its TV package would be met enthusiastically by B10. Oh, you say you don't want to participate in Big10 TV revenue sharing? You'd rather join and keep your own package? Well, yes, be our guest!! We'll pay ut $30 million a year per team on our end, you can stick with your $8-12 million.

I had to sign up as an ND fan to respond to a few things.

ND wants #1 (and it is not close) to stay independent in football and play its other sports in the Big East or some other conference (Catholic League, Big 12, ACC, etc..). The Big 12 and ACC are likely not available for this option.

ND despises the Big Ten and will not join that conference unless it was the last, putrid option available. There are numerous reasons for their hatred of the Big Ten. They are deep seated. The alumni view this as the worst possible outcome.

ND will go to the ACC before it ever goes to the Big Ten. Anyone thinking that ND has more than 0% interest in the Big Ten is mistaken.

Finally, the current ND NBC contract pays out $15 million, not $9 million. The payout was increased at the 2010 renewal of the contract. That contract comes up for a bid in 2015.

 

[upstater]

I had to sign up as an ND fan to respond to a few things.

ND wants #1 (and it is not close) to stay independent in football and play its other sports in the Big East or some other conference (Catholic League, Big 12, ACC, etc..). The Big 12 and ACC are likely not available for this option.

ND despises the Big Ten and will not join that conference unless it was the last, putrid option available. There are numerous reasons for their hatred of the Big Ten. They are deep seated. The alumni view this as the worst possible outcome.

ND will go to the ACC before it ever goes to the Big Ten. Anyone thinking that ND has more than 0% interest in the Big Ten is mistaken.

Finally, the current ND NBC contract pays out $15 million, not $9 million. The payout was increased at the 2010 renewal of the contract. That contract comes up for a bid in 2015.

Still not B10 money AND ND has a funny way of expressing its 0% interest in the Big10. Because a decade ago they decided they wanted IN.

 

[2Infinity]

I had to sign up as an ND fan to respond to a few things.

ND wants #1 (and it is not close) to stay independent in football and play its other sports in the Big East or some other conference (Catholic League, Big 12, ACC, etc..). The Big 12 and ACC are likely not available for this option.

ND despises the Big Ten and will not join that conference unless it was the last, putrid option available. There are numerous reasons for their hatred of the Big Ten. They are deep seated. The alumni view this as the worst possible outcome.

ND will go to the ACC before it ever goes to the Big Ten. Anyone thinking that ND has more than 0% interest in the Big Ten is mistaken.

Finally, the current ND NBC contract pays out $15 million, not $9 million. The payout was increased at the 2010 renewal of the contract. That contract comes up for a bid in 2015.

Welcome ND fan! Nice to hear the perspective of someone so knowledgeable regarding ND's current status and viewpoints. That being said, assuming the BE does not survive, and Texas bolts for the B1G, as is now being speculated, does ND then feel compelled to join the ACC? Alternatively, it sounds as if you're suggesting that ND would prefer to play it's non-football sports against the remnants of the BE, were they to form a new conference comprised of the current BE basketball schools. Given those two choices, and assuming NO desire to join the B1G, what odds would you place on each outcome?

Finally, if the ACC were the option chosen, do you see ND specifying a preferred 16th school to go in with them? If so, who do you see that being?

 

[Peacefrog]

I had to sign up as an ND fan to respond to a few things.

ND wants #1 (and it is not close) to stay independent in football and play its other sports in the Big East or some other conference (Catholic League, Big 12, ACC, etc..). The Big 12 and ACC are likely not available for this option.

ND despises the Big Ten and will not join that conference unless it was the last, putrid option available. There are numerous reasons for their hatred of the Big Ten. They are deep seated. The alumni view this as the worst possible outcome.

ND will go to the ACC before it ever goes to the Big Ten. Anyone thinking that ND has more than 0% interest in the Big Ten is mistaken.

Finally, the current ND NBC contract pays out $15 million, not $9 million. The payout was increased at the 2010 renewal of the contract. That contract comes up for a bid in 2015.

I thought ND didn't want the Big 10 because they didn't want to play in a conference where they would only finish about .500 every year. They have a much better chance of finishing at or near the top of the ACC than the Big 10. With ND football not being what it used to be they would have a better chance for relevance in the ACC.

 

[SAMCRO]

Still not B10 money AND ND has a funny way of expressing its 0% interest in the Big10. Because a decade ago they decided they wanted IN.

You can tell they hate being associated with the B10 the way a 25% of their annual FB schedule is against B10 teams. It must be a catholic football school thing.

 

[Danzz]

I see more downside for us in ND going to the ACC than potential upside. Sure I like UConn over RU and think the ACC would be crazy to take them as 16 over us, but I would much rather have 2 open spots.

I'm on the other side of this one. If there are 2 open spots the ACC could conceivably stand pat at 14. I guess I just don't see the value of Rutgers. The NYC area is not much of a college market and Rutgers is pretty far away from NYC. The other thing about Rutgers is that their athletics are on life support. I would hate to see Uconn's future based upon a Rutgers evaluation by the ACC but if you are right it may come down to that. And then there is always the possibility of a shocker team to the ACC and that changes everything.
The more you think about it, the muddier it gets.

 

[Murph]

Terry is a cool ND fan. He also posts over at NCAAbbs and is a sensible and logical poster. Don't beat him up too much.