Sunday's Clemson Big 12 Update. GT, Miami and ND included

[brasssbonanzaa]

they can't do the conference champ only model because they will be hit with a monstrous anti-trust lawsuit. Furthermore, the playoff will expand to 8 or 16 teams within 10 years guaranteed, possibly within 5 of the first playoff game. There is just too much money in a large playoff, and too much expense in the current bowl system, to not eliminate the bowls and go to a playoff. Bowl advocates are like beeper salesmen. They are on the wrong side of history.

The Irish are not going to make a long term decision to join a conference based on a 4 team playoff structure that almost everyone believes is temporary.

They'd only get hit with the anti-trust suit if the structure said the conference champions can only be comprised of X conferences. However, if it just states, the four highest ranked conference champions from any conference, so long as they're ranked in the top something, there's no grounds for an anti-trust suit based on the playoff model, and that will then put ND in a very precarious situation.

 

[businesslawyer]

They'd only get hit with the anti-trust suit if the structure said the conference champions can only be comprised of X conferences. However, if it just states, the four highest ranked conference champions from any conference, so long as they're ranked in the top something, there's no grounds for an anti-trust suit based on the playoff model, and that will then put ND in a very precarious situation.

I'm not sure that's true. I'm not sure what gives conferences the right to determine that they can call something a "championship" that excludes teams that choose not to play in a conference.

But, as I've said before, the whole lack of antitrust pressure on the system is so irrational in any event that who knows what a court would say.

 

[HuskyHawk]

If the ACC loses a few teams like we all expect, they would take a partial ND membership in a heartbeat if some scheduled games came along with it.

The only reason I see Notre Dame ever joining another league is if the money becomes really jaw dropping to do so. It is really the only question I have about all these leagues chasing Notre Dame. If Notre Dame is so valuable as an addition, how come they aren't making $20MM or more from NBC today?

That's easy. It's just the home games. In a league, the conference would get the vast majority of the road games, as ND isn't likely to play more than one nonconference road game a year, two tops. As an independent, their current road games go to some other network. Plus, it's just football, they would have some definite value for basketball as well.

 

[UCFBfan]

If the ACC loses a few teams like we all expect, they would take a partial ND membership in a heartbeat if some scheduled games came along with it.

The only reason I see Notre Dame ever joining another league is if the money becomes really jaw dropping to do so. It is really the only question I have about all these leagues chasing Notre Dame. If Notre Dame is so valuable as an addition, how come they aren't making $20MM or more from NBC today?

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't ND get to keep the entire bowl payout as well? Every team in a conference must split the revenue with other conference members. ND being an independent allows them to keep it all. This alone is a huge reason ND is in no rush to join a conference. Plus, they keep all football TV revenue. Seems like it makes no sense for ND to give that up. I can't see any conference being able to match those numbers....

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[nelsonmuntz]

I'm not sure that's true. I'm not sure what gives conferences the right to determine that they can call something a "championship" that excludes teams that choose not to play in a conference.

But, as I've said before, the whole lack of antitrust pressure on the system is so irrational in any event that who knows what a court would say.

Major sports leagues lose most of the time someone brings a major anti-trust case against them. They are illegal cartels in restraint of trade, and the courts have been pretty consistent on that matter.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

That's easy. It's just the home games. In a league, the conference would get the vast majority of the road games, as ND isn't likely to play more than one nonconference road game a year, two tops. As an independent, their current road games go to some other network. Plus, it's just football, they would have some definite value for basketball as well.

Doesn't Notre Dame play about the same number of home games as any other school? I don't get the # of home games argument. When a TV network buys FSU, they are buying 7 home games a year. When they buy Notre Dame, they are getting the same thing.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Doesn't Notre Dame play about the same number of home games as any other school? I don't get the # of home games argument. When a TV network buys FSU, they are buying 7 home games a year. When they buy Notre Dame, they are getting the same thing.

Yes, but as an indpendent, they can only sell the home games. In a league, the league can sell the home games, plus all the conference road games (ND @ Michigan still belongs to the B1G)...which for ND would likely leave only one game per year, two tops. So Notre Dame is almost inarguably more valuable in a conference.