Notre Dame (according to ESPN)

[UConnSportsGuy]

ESPN (Katz) is reporting that Notre Dame's preference is to keep their sports in the Big East and remain independent (duh!). However, he is also reporting that if they decide that it isn't possible to stay independent in football, they will join the ACC and not the Big Ten.

Wow! I thought there was no chance that ND would ever choose a conference other than the Big Ten.

Who knows, it could just be a negotiating ploy with the Big Ten...but that is what is being reported.

This could either be great news for us (ACC addes ND and UConn to get to 16) or it could be horrible news (if it is ND and some other school as #16 such as PSU, Rutgers, etc). Because if ND goes to the ACC, I don't think the Big Ten bothers expanding east and we are then stuck without a conference in the long term if the ACC is full and the Big Ten is not an option. Hopefully it doesn't come to that!

 

[mets1090]

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.

 

[sportsart]

ND at the Rent? Maybe ND joins only if UConn home games are at Yankee Stadium or Giants Stadium. UConn bends over and ACC lets UConn in.

Rutgersal found on a ledge on GW bridge.

 

[upstater]

ND is devious. Don't buy this for a second. They are trying to throw a wrench into further ACC expansion because they probably believe the BE can add a couple schools and stay together.

This is exactly what they are thinking.

 

[mets1090]

ND is devious. Don't buy this for a second. They are trying to throw a wrench into further ACC expansion because they probably believe the BE can add a couple schools and stay together.

This is exactly what they are thinking.

Very valid point. ND has been playing the BE for as long as I've been old enough to follow college sports, don't see why they would change now.

 

[uconnflyer88]

ND is devious. Don't buy this for a second. They are trying to throw a wrench into further ACC expansion because they probably believe the BE can add a couple schools and stay together.

This is exactly what they are thinking.

spot on which is exactly why Herbst canNOT put the phone down until our conference affiliation is secure

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

ND is devious. Don't buy this for a second. They are trying to throw a wrench into further ACC expansion because they probably believe the BE can add a couple schools and stay together.

This is exactly what they are thinking.

I hope the ACC agrees with you and accepts UConn to the conference tomorrow as #15 in order to force Notre Dame's hand and kill the Big East once and for all!

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

and/or ND is using the acc as leverage to get a sweeter deal into the b1g.

 

[ZooCougar]

Upstater is right. ND flirts with the ACC, holding up the process. Effectively blocks any further talks. Keeps UConn in the Big East longer or forever which ultimately gives Notre Dame a decent conference for their basketball team.

And people wonder why Notre Dame is hated so much.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

ND is devious. Don't buy this for a second. They are trying to throw a wrench into further ACC expansion because they probably believe the BE can add a couple schools and stay together.

This is exactly what they are thinking.

Bingo.

The ACC won't move now until ND says yes, keeping the remaining BE football schools where they are.

 

[Icebear]

ND equals Emperor Charles V and the Holy Roman Empire and the Big East equals the Reformation and German states. It all led to The Hundred years War. It was all about money, the right to self-determination, and the power of conferences and the new media of the movable type printing press. Move forward 500 years Mr. Santyana.

 

[upstater]

and/or ND is using the acc as leverage to get a sweeter deal into the b1g.

I seriously do not believe that ND is under any illusions there. They know there is no B10 deal.

 

[upstater]

Upstater is right. ND flirts with the ACC, holding up the process. Effectively blocks any further talks. Keeps UConn in the Big East longer or forever which ultimately gives Notre Dame a decent conference for their basketball team.

And people wonder why Notre Dame is hated so much.

This is why UConn needs to leave the BE ASAP.

 

[HuskyFan16]

Notre Dame joins the ACC, any flirtation FSU had with the SEC is officially done.

 

[willie99]

I'm numb

IDK what to think right now

 

[Revrat]

It's an odd chicken and the egg. If the big East maintains Notre Dame will stay. If it falls apart they go to ACC so logically th ACC needs to weaken the Big East further to make it fall apart. So either Notre Dame is stalling to keep the Big East together or telling the ACC to get off the pot and finish this thing.

 

[ZooCougar]

This is why UConn needs to leave the BE ASAP.

Pretty much. All of the remaining football schools should give their 27 month notice now. If by some cosmic accident they need to get back in, I am sure it could be arranged.

 

[SAMCRO]

and/or ND is using the acc as leverage to get a sweeter deal into the b1g.

Hopefully it is ND saying to the B10 "we've got viable options, so here are our demands: 1) we want you to invite Rutger's and UConn to keep our east coast/north east link, 2) we want you to invite Mizzou as #16 to bring in the St. Louis/KC, 3) we want to be in a division with the following 7 schools......, and 4) most importantly, we want to keep a piece of our own tv deal w/ NBC for home games. B10 network can have rebroadcasting rights but we want our NBC deal."

Wishful thinking, absolutely. But the reality is it's all wishful thinking right now.

 

[upstater]

Hopefully it is ND saying to the B10 "we've got viable options, so here are our demands: 1) we want you to invite Rutger's and UConn to keep our east coast/north east link, 2) we want you to invite Mizzou as #16 to bring in the St. Louis/KC, 3) we want to be in a division with the following 7 schools......, and 4) most importantly, we want to keep a piece of our own tv deal w/ NBC for home games. B10 network can have rebroadcasting rights but we want our NBC deal."

Wishful thinking, absolutely. But the reality is it's all wishful thinking right now.

Big10 doesn't operate that way. ND is not the most valuable franchise.

 

[freescooter]

I've never been a huge believer of ND to the Big 10 is a done deal. That would be a tough slog for the Irish. They are smaller than every single other school. they have less "flexibility" as far as academic requirements are concerned. And what does it do to the "aura" if you regularly finish behind Ohio State, Michigan, Minnesota, Michigan State, Iowa, Wisconsin...its one thing if you finsih out of the Top 25. It is another to finish 5th or 6th in your league.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

Hopefully it is ND saying to the B10 "we've got viable options, so here are our demands: 1) we want you to invite Rutger's and UConn to keep our east coast/north east link, 2) we want you to invite Mizzou as #16 to bring in the St. Louis/KC, 3) we want to be in a division with the following 7 schools......, and 4) most importantly, we want to keep a piece of our own tv deal w/ NBC for home games. B10 network can have rebroadcasting rights but we want our NBC deal."

Wishful thinking, absolutely. But the reality is it's all wishful thinking right now.

Certainly wishful thinking but along the lines of what I'm thinking as well.

 

[Hoophound]

I've never been a huge believer of ND to the Big 10 is a done deal. That would be a tough slog for the Irish. They are smaller than every single other school. they have less "flexibility" as far as academic requirements are concerned. And what does it do to the "aura" if you regularly finish behind Ohio State, Michigan, Minnesota, Michigan State, Iowa, Wisconsin...its one thing if you finsih out of the Top 25. It is another to finish 5th or 6th in your league.

Yes, but at this point ND would finish 5-6 in any major conference including the Big East. Their win over MSU is the first good win in recent memory. Plus, the Big 10 has proven to be much weaker than the media leads us to believe over the last 10 years when the bowls and tough OOC games come up. ND chases money and the B10 is where the money is. As a Catholic, I have to admit, them turning their nose up at money is unlikely.

 

[gars44]

Hopefully it is ND saying to the B10 "we've got viable options, so here are our demands: 1) we want you to invite Rutger's and UConn to keep our east coast/north east link, 2) we want you to invite Mizzou as #16 to bring in the St. Louis/KC, 3) we want to be in a division with the following 7 schools......, and 4) most importantly, we want to keep a piece of our own tv deal w/ NBC for home games. B10 network can have rebroadcasting rights but we want our NBC deal."

Wishful thinking, absolutely. But the reality is it's all wishful thinking right now.

It's not wishful thinking, it's over thinking. Notre Dame's only real worry is getting games in November, when all these new conference teams will be playing each other. But they can always get two conference teams, plus Air Force and Navy, etc., in November, so they can achieve a decent 12 game schedule. Football independence will remain as long as they can get November games, which they can. That being said, a re-constituted Big East is not a game breaker for ND. And that will be the plan. That is the plan, actually.

In fact, if I could add to this, all ND cares about in the BE is to park non-revenue sports and basketball. Even if the B12 does not break up, meaning the BE can not attract a Kansas or a Missouri, it won't matter to ND. We could pick up non-football non-revs, like say, a Butler, or we could add ECU and UCF. It would not matter to ND, because it's the non-revenue side of the equation. It does not affect their football independence. So, don't worry about ND to the ACC. And definitely, definitely, don't worry about ND to the B1G.

 

[businesslawyer]

I've never been a huge believer of ND to the Big 10 is a done deal. That would be a tough slog for the Irish. They are smaller than every single other school. they have less "flexibility" as far as academic requirements are concerned. And what does it do to the "aura" if you regularly finish behind Ohio State, Michigan, Minnesota, Michigan State, Iowa, Wisconsin...its one thing if you finsih out of the Top 25. It is another to finish 5th or 6th in your league.

1. The Big Ten wants Notre Dame, and Notre Dame's first choice is the Big Ten, but in each case it will depend on the terms. Not inconceivable that the ACC offers ND better terms and not inconceivable the Big Ten won't match them and ND goes south.

2. I am very concerned, very concerned, that if ND is negotiating with the ACC they would prefer Rutgers to us to play in the Meadowlands (which are fan base so brilliantly went ballistic about) and help their New Jersey recruiting base. Big problem.

3. On the other hand, ND's first preference is to keep the Big EAst alive, the remaining football schools aligned with the Catholics, so it doesn't have to change. If the ACC wants to force ND's hand, the move is to take UConn. That so harms men's hoops on top of Pitt and Syracuse gone, kills womens hoops, harms baseball, soccer, track, field hockey, .... Then, the ACC tells ND in thirty days if we don't have you lined up as #16 we're offering Rutgers.

4. Swofford has played this dead on correctly from the beginning. He is forcing everyone's hand, and knows with unlimited time he loses because the SEC and Big Ten have stronger hands to play. But this strategy is the win-win for him, in that either he forces ND in or at worst he guaranties that the ACC will be as strong in the Northeast going forward as the Big Ten (which he has not yet accomplished).

That would be my hope. As I said the other day, I think ND knows it's done as an independent in football. What you're watching now is a play being acted out to shield the administration from the alumni when they join somewhere.

 

[1husky]

I believe this has been Swofford's plan all along. His vision is to lock up the East coast (ND is essentially an east coast school in culture, alumni, fans, etc.) with the highest caliber combination of academic and athletic programs available. Grab Pitt and Cuse, destabilize the Big East and UConn will be waiting for a 16th team to make the jump.

Obviously, if you have a Texas or a PSU or a Notre Dame expressing interest you grab them but overall he is going to grab the 16 best schools / athletic programs available on the east coast and UConn with the lastest USNWR ranking and unbelievable athletic success of the past 15 – 20 years fits that mold perfectly. If he cannot grab ND he will fall back to RU which is exactly what he is telling ND. They will not have their olympic sports stuck in a conf with the Catholic schools plus KS, IA St, Baylor, USF, Louisville, UWV, RU, etc.

Also, ND has never wanted to join the Big 10 despite their long term rivalries with MSU, UM, Purdue, etc. They would feel right at home with BC, UNC, Duke, UVA, GT, etc. This is the first stage of the process of vetting the media, alumni, and big donors and getting them on board with the idea of joining a conference. Next step for ACC is to make sure Texas and PSU are not going to come, which is probably already done. Then start leaking additional information about potentially adding ND yada yada. Followed by an announcement that ND and UConn are joining the ACC as the final 2 teams along with a huge new contract from ESPN. I believe within 2 weeks we will see this come to fruition. We are not getting an invitation from the Big 10 so this is the best outcome for UConn at this point.