Notre Dame's future

[Guest Blackston]

Notre Dame currently enjoys one of the most powerful positions in all of college athletics. Fully alligning themselves with the Big East in every sport but football, they gave their non-revenue sports a healthy home, while managing to keep the money that their football team brought in from their NBC contract and any bowl games. With the destruction of the Big East seemingly right around the corner, Notre Dame is probably going to put themselves in the unfortunate position of either dropping football independence or virtually sacraficing their basketball and olympic sports to a sea of mediocrity (also known as Conference USA). They've got a couple options, yet.

 

Swoop in and save the Big East:

This is probably the most obvious solution to the woes of the Big East. Losing Miami, Boston College and Syracuse obviously kills alot of the competitive balance, but the Big East still has very good football programs in Pitt, Va. Tech and West Virginia. If (and this is a big if) Notre Dame decided to help out their conference brethren and join, there might just be enough star power in the conference to maintain their automatic BCS spot. There are also several other powers in conferences like C-USA and the MAC that would be more then willing to jump to a revamped Big East. One other university that the new Big East would take a look at is Penn State, although I doubt that the Nits would make that particular move. Of course this deal is contingent on maintaining their BCS status. If the new Big East doesn't keep their BCS spot, then there is virtually no reason for the Irish to go for this deal.

 

Make Notre Dame partial members of the Big East in football:

One solution to the Big East situation that has been bandied about has become known as the "Rutgers" solution. It basically states that Notre Dame would remain an Independent in football, but schedule four or five opponents from the "new" Big East conference. After the season is over, the better team between the Big East champion and Notre Dame would receive the Big East's automatic birth. One major flaw in this solution is that I think Big East fans are overestimating the draw of Notre Dame. I don't think that this solution would still qualify for an auto BCS birth.

 

Notre Dame approaches the new ACC for partial membership:

This solution has probably the least chance of actuality. It states that Notre Dame will approach the ACC in order to get the same benefits that ND got from the old Big East. They would fully join the ACC in basketball and olympic sports, but remain independent in football (though they would play x number of ACC conference teams in football). This isn't going to happen, though, because getting the ACC to expand to 12 was like pulling teeth. The North Carolina Posse wanted no part of the original expansion because it would devalue their ACC tournament in basketball, I seriously doubt that they would be willing to add a 13th member to the conference in basketball only. In all, this is probably the solution that Notre Dame fans most want, as it wouldn't cramp their football independence, but it would also give them the ability to play top-flight teams in their other sports.

 

Join the Big Ten

Probably the solution that the Notre Dame faithful do not want to hear. The Big Ten is actively looking for a member, something that the ACC is no longer doing, and they would provide a stability that no form of the Big East could ever provide. Unfortunately for Notre Dame, this stability, compared to the unstability that the rest of the college football world has, gives the Big Ten a major bargaining chip. The Big Ten would never concede to the Irish demands of football independence, and Notre Dame knows this. Irish independence is a major part of what they are, and it will be interesting to see what happens here.

 

Stay Independent

Probably the easiest option for Notre Dame, here they would put their football team above the other sports at the university. To alumni, this option is much better then any other, especially joining the Big Ten. Unfortunately, this option has negative drawbacks, both short-term and long-term. Short-term, obviously the other sports at the university will suffer. The recent successes of the mens basketball team will be virtually thrown out, and their great head coach will probably look for another job. Long-term, though, could even hurt the football program. Division I-A football has been moving towards a conference-driven and dominated landscape. Notre Dame is the sole exception of a college able to maintain their football independence and prosper. With the advent of the BCS, Notre Dame was able to get themselves a pretty good deal, in regards to getting an at-large spot. Will they still be able to maintain that when the BCS is re-negotiated in two years? If the Irish don't do something this go-around, I strongly feel that they could find themselves homeless when they need a conference the most.

 

If I were the Athletic Director of Notre Dame, I would probably look and see how I could help out the Big East. Like it or not, Notre Dame's independence is in great peril, especially with the recent movements in the NCAA landscape, and I would probably do what I can to try to maintain it. If the new Big East doesn't get off of the ground, though, I would probably swallow my pride and give the Big Ten commissioner a call. What do you think?

[Guest Spicy McHaggis]

ND should have no worries about its drawing power. 1 example is website hits... Michigan is #2 in the nation with 300,000 hits per month. Notre Dame averages 2 million. Last Nov. and Dec. (during the Willingham stuff) they got 5 million per.

 

I think ND should get Florida St. and Penn St. to join the Big East. Get some other schools to make the 12-team superconference. ND should write into the contract that they get to keep 75% of its TV revenue and a percentage (maybe 25) of its bowl revenue. Then get NBC to do a weekly doubleheader of the ND game and another Big East game. Also, have the BE title game on NBC. And get the rights to BE basketball as well.

 

I think this would give ND football incentive to join a conference, save ND's other sports, and rescue the Big East from doom.

[Guest Bosstones Fan]

Notre Dame may be forced to join a conference for football because as these "super-conferences" develop, it could start becoming very difficult for ND to find any quality opponents to play. As other teams become obligated to play 8-10 conference games a year, there may not be any room in the calendar for ND to squeeze in some quality games, except for early in the year.

 

Personally, I hope ND is forced to join the Big Ten (or one of the other major conferences) in football so that they will be exposed as the overhyped, overrated squad that they are. I'd take great pleasure in watching Michigan, Ohio St, and Penn St whoop up on ND regularly.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

In away Notre Dame's future may depend on NBC. If they resign Notre Dame when their contract expires, Notre Dame can remain an Independent. If they don't Notre Dame will have likely have to look for a league to join.