9 Game Schedule Will Further Push Notre Dame From Big Ten Affiliation

[Thomzahawke]

I feel ND is blind to reality if they continue to believe being a "national" program involves playing USC, Navy, Stanford etc... If the B10 took them in now they would have a much more lucrative payday, they'd still be as "national" as they are now and they wouldn't have to worry about not renewing the NBC contract (which I don't think will happen). Being independant over the next few years is conceivable but over the long haul they're crazy not to take a B10 offer (if it ever comes now).

 

[rocky3rza]

Come on craig. The Big Ten wouldn't take a hit by not playing ND. Quit over blowing ND's appeal. The facts are that they are very close to losing their NBC deal. There is a lot of talk that NBC loses a ton on it and probably wont renew.

How are they close to losing the NBC deal? They just extended it through 2015 two years ago after maybe the worst season in the history of the program (3-9)

"We are absolutely thrilled to be continuing our landmark agreement with Notre Dame, the most storied brand in college sports," said Dick Ebersol, Chairman of NBC Sports and Olympics. "This new deal, which will bring us to 25 years as partners, is great tribute to the wonderful relationship that (President, NBC Sports) Ken Schanzer has built with the entire Notre Dame community.

 

[ThCatch]

So let ND do whatever they want again who cares we do not need ND at all the Big Ten is and will always be the best conference in the nation.

+1

 

[IAHawkFan]

The number one fear Notre Dame has in joining a conference (any conference) is becoming regionalized. The desire to remain independent stems from the freedom to schedule games with schools from coast to coast.

An 8 game Big Ten schedule would still leave ND with an annual series with USC as well as Navy. It would also leave two other open games to schedule schools. As it stands, this is not palatable to those associated with the school. A 9 game schedule would only make this worse.

As I stated in May, the Big Ten will not coerce ND into joining by refusing to play ND (which is the theory behind a 9 game schedule--making it look to ND like games with Big Ten schools will be harder to schedule). First, the Big Ten would take a huge PR hit nationally if it bailed from contracts with ND, while other conferences kept their ND contracts. Furthermore, the 9 game schedule clearly has not impacted the Pac 10's ability to play ND: I believe 4 schools played ND last year.

Lastly, even in a 9 game schedule, Purdue and MSU will continue to desire to play ND. Michigan may very well wish to cut back on the number of games with ND, but won't entirely cancel the series. After all, Michigan fancies itself a national school, and there is no bigger national stage than ND.

Anyway, I believe Jon and Deace are completely missing the boat with the current analysis. A "flawed premise", if you will.

I agree with you that the nine game conference schedule is likely to push ND further away, and I highly doubt it would do much to "force" ND to come to the BigTen.

Personally, I hate the idea of 9 conference games. I don't think it offers much, but places the addition burden of an extra away game every other year. I just don't see the advantage - particularly when it will increase the likelyhood of a rematch in the conf championship.

I do think, however, that it could affect Mich, Purdue and MSU playing ND.

In the years that they only have 4 home BigTen games, they will really need to schedule their 3 ooc games to be at home just to keep the money coming in. They might be able to convince ND to play at their place, but it would be really tough if all 3 teams only had 4 conf home games in the same year (can you see ND playing @Mich, @Purdue, and @MSU in the same year?).

For MSU and Purdue, since they tend to be middle of the pack teams, I think they will find that it is important to schedule 3 cupcakes occ to try to make sure they are bowl eligible. Playing ND is nice, but if you have to choose between playing them and going to a bowl, I would think that you will choose the bowl every time...

 

[troy]

I haven't thought much about ND for a while. I hope the Big Ten takes Mizzou, Pitt, and Kansas and waits on ND. There are enough football powers in the league right now. It appears that Rutgers, Syracuse, and Maryland might be some other options for membership. Whatever the scenario, I hope the Big Ten goes to 15 and gives ND one last chance.

 

[huKSer]

Yeah I don't understand the love for Notre Dame... I know they have a storied history, but they haven't been successful in over 16 years. They are like 1-9 since '94 in bowl games. Northwestern has been better than the Irish over the same time span. I think bringing ND to the B10 at this point would only bring more scrutiny. Just my opinion.

An easy win over an opponent with a flashy name

 

[huKSer]

I haven't thought much about ND for a while. I hope the Big Ten takes Mizzou, Pitt, and Kansas and waits on ND. There are enough football powers in the league right now. It appears that Rutgers, Syracuse, and Maryland might be some other options for membership. Whatever the scenario, I hope the Big Ten goes to 15 and gives ND one last chance.

+1

 

[huKSer]

I don't know if this will work out, or if it will work out for 9 conference games:
instead of alternating 5 then 4 home games
4 home, 4 away and 1 neutral site

 

[GHawk]

rocky,
NBC has new owners and don't confuse a pr release with facts. There have been several reports that NBC loses money on the deal and that the new owners may be looking to end the contract when it comes up. Also it has been reported the contract signed 2 years ago was at basically the same levels as the previous one. That doesn't indicate the deal is very profitable for NBC. Finally, I didn't say the contract would end next year. However, these things are watched closely on a year to year basis and the deal is not a strong one for NBC.

 

[rocky3rza]

do you have a link to these reports?

 

[GHawk]

Sorry I don't. I'm in the advertising business and we get industry reports. I have heard TV execs talking on the radio a couple of different times saying the same thing. It isn't a secret. There were reports all over the place when the contract was renewed that NBC wasn't doing very well with it. That's why the numbers didn't jump way up with the new contract. That's also why Big Ten teams actually make more than ND does. I don't know why people have this wrong impression that ND is making a killing on their TV deal. They do well, but the Big Ten teams do better.

 

[rocky3rza]

I'm not arguing that the Big 10 schools make more money than Notre Dame but maybe the tradition of being an Independent means more to the school and alumni than a few more million dollars a year. The Big 10 contract may be better but Notre Dame isn't exactly struggling financially.

If NBC was disappointed with the TV deal why extend it at all? Why not run out the final two years of the contract after the 3-9 season and see what happens?