Thoughts/Opinions on Notre Dame joining a conference?

[UMGoBlue]

Hi everyone. I'm sure your wondering what a Michigan fan is doing here posting on your very nice looking Notre Dame site.

Well I am working on a project for a class and I am in need of Notre Dame fans opinions. Your the first of a few different Notre Dame forums/websites that I am looking to hear from.

We are currently working on a Mock Case as if we were presenting the idea of moving Notre Dame to a conference (Big East, Big Ten, ACC) or staying as a Independent to the President/AD of Notre Dame.

All of the groups (4-5 students) are presented of taking the issue from a different view point. For instance, I am working on the issue if Notre Dame was to move to the ACC but I feel that they should stay Independent. My other group memeber is searching on if Notre Dame was to move to the Big Ten.


So my question is to the fans of Notre Dame Nation, how would you feel about this? How would you take to the idea of Notre Dame joining a conference like the Big East, ACC, or Big Ten? Good? Bad? Ruin the tradition of Notre Dame? Traveling? Competition?

I am looking to hear all opinions and all will be looked at. I hope to hear from all of you and thank you for your time.


Thank You! I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

- Jeff, GO BLUE!

 

[Newc]

Hi everyone. I'm sure your wondering what a Michigan fan is doing here posting on your very nice looking Notre Dame site.QUOTE]



Its a GLORIOUS site by the way.


I for one don't want to see ND join a conference purely because of tradition. There is no way that joining a conference would benefit ND nor college football, whats the need? I love that we play teams from all over the conference range, Pac 10, Big 10, Big East, ACC, SEC, ect. I like being able to schedule any team we want without having to comply with confernce demands.

ND as an independent forever!!

 

[ab2cmiller]

Almost everyone here will agree with Newc.

In addition to your post here, I would suggest you also go to a Penn State board and ask their opinions about no longer being independent. I would ask something like this .... Do you think that Penn State joining the Big Ten has helped or hurt Penn State? I'm guessing you will probably get a pretty even split I would guess. If you do ask this question on a Penn State board and are looking for a truthful answer, do not mention anything about Notre Dame. If they think your question is concerning ND in any way, they will all say that they are glad they joined the Big Ten out of their hatred for ND. If you do ask, give us an update back here later on. I'm curious as to their answer. I think Penn State joining the Big Ten has definitely hurt the way most fans view them.

 

[UMGoBlue]

Hi everyone. I'm sure your wondering what a Michigan fan is doing here posting on your very nice looking Notre Dame site.QUOTE]



Its a GLORIOUS site by the way.


I for one don't want to see ND join a conference purely because of tradition. There is no way that joining a conference would benefit ND nor college football, whats the need? I love that we play teams from all over the conference range, Pac 10, Big 10, Big East, ACC, SEC, ect. I like being able to schedule any team we want without having to comply with confernce demands.

ND as an independent forever!!

Thanks for the quick reply and I completly understand. You never want to mess with tradition!

Thank you!

 

[UMGoBlue]

Almost everyone here will agree with Newc.

In addition to your post here, I would suggest you also go to a Penn State board and ask their opinions about no longer being independent. I would ask something like this .... Do you think that Penn State joining the Big Ten has helped or hurt Penn State? I'm guessing you will probably get a pretty even split I would guess. If you do ask this question on a Penn State board and are looking for a truthful answer, do not mention anything about Notre Dame. If they think your question is concerning ND in any way, they will all say that they are glad they joined the Big Ten out of their hatred for ND. If you do ask, give us an update back here later on. I'm curious as to their answer. I think Penn State joining the Big Ten has definitely hurt the way most fans view them.

Thank you ab2! That is a great idea and I will go for it. I know some of those Penn State fans can be ruthless. I'll give a update later this weekend.

Thanks for your idea!

 

[SoCalDomer]

UMGoBlue, this isn't meant as a slight at you.

But I can't help but find it funny that Michigan professors give their students assignments to discuss Notre Dame. As if there weren't enough compelling issues for Michigan to deal with at Michigan, they have to be concerned with what is going on at another university.

I wonder if Boston College film majors are watching The Godfather series this year and discussing why Notre Dame is wrong about characterizing BC as Fredo.

Perhaps USC math majors are figuring out ways to make a 55% graduation rate equal to ND's 95% grad rate, you know, because they have more students so it's like those numbers are the same. Or perhaps the history and philosophy majors are looking back to figure out a way to rationalize another National Championship.

 

[ryno 24]

Notre Dame needs to stay independent for the Tradition and NBC

 

[NDGirlzRock]

I think that ND should stay independant for many reasons. #1 ND's recruiting base, because they have no conference affilication, is larger because of the NBC contract. ND is in every CFB home across the country on home game days, whereas, if they were in a conference they might be lucky to be seen in CFB homes across the country once a season. It helps ND pull the big time recruits from across the country. #2 ND is all about tradition!!! Being an independant is tradition!!! #3 ND is among the top in graduation rate of its players, this is a well known fact. Our young men not only play football, they mold their futures within the confines of ND. This isn't to say that other schools don't help their football players do this, but ND is head and shoulders above the average football powerhouse where this is concerned. Joining a conference allows the other schools to bask in this fact. #4 Simple economics, the football program is a huge contributor to other areas of the university. Being in a conference would greatly deminish its contribution to the rest of ND.

 

[piyachi]

I think that maybe (and this is being generous) one in a hundred fans of Notre Dame would support the idea of joining a conference. It's a very small margin.

Reasons to not join a conference:

1. Tradition - Since ND is pretty ancient and prides itself on tradition, any changes are slow to come. Kentucky bluegrass will probably be on the field forever, there will (God willing) never be a jumbotron in the stadium, etc. This all leads into the next point.....

2. Schedule - 'Dame has always prided itself on playing one of the toughest schedules in the land, year in and year out. Now since scheduling is a tough art, they don't always pan out but ND plays a lot of top-tier teams. While the Wolverines are one of the primary opponents, USC is the real rival and being in a conference would mess this up (It is manageable with USC adjusting, but both would be tough to manage). Plus playing a conference schedule would always mean a lot of automatic patsies. While ND does play teams that are below their talent level, it is often teams like the service academies that they have a longstanding tradition with.

3. Money - In fairness this may be one of the biggest reasons, if not numero uno. ND is the most fiscally valuable program in college football and uses a lot of this cash to fund the university. To join a conference would mean giving up big money-makers like the exclusive contract and bowl-money that isn't taxed by a conference. Much like the bowl system, nothing will change before the money does.

4. Special - A lot of people love to hate ND. Fact is, this is because ND is the most recognized name in college football. Perhaps the fanbase does have a bit of a superiority complex, and like it or not, it's because ND is something special. There is no real way to quantify it, but joining a conference would simply lower Notre Dame in a way that is tough to explain.


Hope this helps.... and you know it's never too late to change who you cheer for.

 

[johnnd05]

I would be HORRIFIED if ND were to join a conference in football. There's no need for it academically or athletically, and from what I understand there's no reason to think it would benefit us financially either.

 

[GoshenGipper]

I don't want ND to join a conference unless they absolutly have to. That's for various reasons, it allows for a flexible schedule if our AD could ever figure out how to create a great/smart one, as well as tradition of being an Independent. It also allows ND to be able to play all of their tradional opponents and rivals but they are still able to set up home and home series with teams that non-tradional opponents from all over the country.

The only way I would support them joining a conference would be if they had to to be eligible for the BCS, or National Championship. If that were the case I would hope that they would join the Big Ten, at least in football. It would make the most sense from a geographical point of view, as well as a scheduling point of view since they already play 3 or 4 Big Ten teams a year several of wich are considered rivalry games. If not the Big Ten, then I guess the Big East would be next and if I had to guess I wouldn't be suprised if that would be the direction the school would go since they are in the Big East in almost all other sports and the Big East's media center is New York rather than Chicago or Indy. The ACC doesn't make any sense and I wouldn't support it at all under any circumstances.

If they had to join the Big Ten I think this would be a smart divisional set-up. Both for football and basketball if ND were to koin in both sports.

Div. 1
Ohio State
Michigan
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Illinois
Northwestern

Div. 2
Notre Dame
Penn State
Michigan State
Iowa
Purdue
Indiana

Then they could just lock in rivalry games if the teams are in different divsions. Therefore MSU and UM, Iowa and Minn., and Purdue and Illinois could still play every just like Bama/Tenn., UGA/Aub. and FSU/Miami.

 

[ColonialHead]

I am also against ND joining a conference.

 

[UMGoBlue]

Great stuff guys and keep it coming if anyone else wants to chime in as well and I do agree with alot of what you guys are saying. I'm happy my group was choosen to present ND staying Independent because like you've all said, there is way to much to lose if they were to join a conference. Sure there are their slight benefits but why fix it if it isn't broken?

As far as the post from SoCalDomer, I'm not a UM student (yet atleast! applying next year for grad school). I'm currently a junior at a smaller DII school located in Michigan. It's primary focus is on business which makes this case great to discuss and debate about because so much money would be invovled. But I do agree, if this question was posed at a schoo like USC or Michigan, it would be pretty funny lol.

And as for changing my allegiences, I don't see that happening to soon. But good try! haha.

Thanks guys appreciate, keep it coming like I said if anyone else wants to discuss.

 

[SoCalDomer]

As far as the post from SoCalDomer, I'm not a UM student (yet atleast! applying next year for grad school). I'm currently a junior at a smaller DII school located in Michigan. It's primary focus is on business which makes this case great to discuss and debate about because so much money would be invovled. But I do agree, if this question was posed at a schoo like USC or Michigan, it would be pretty funny lol.

My apologies, I read too quickly and assumed incorrectly. And your business school is right, probably the biggest factor here is money.

 

[goldandblue]

I'm against it as well. For all the same reasons that everyone else on here has already posted.

There is no benifit to it. What good would come out of it?

 

[piyachi]

Man Goshen if that happened we would murderize in that half of the (What would it be called? the bigger 12?) division. PSU and MSU would be the only competition at all, and I would say that when ND is on track we win both of those games most years....

 

[go_irish63]

I dont want ND to join a conference. there are a bunch of reasons and of course money is a big one, with all the money ND gets from the BCS every year if they play in the game or not and the NBC contract. If they join a conference then that moeny goes aways and we all know if you want to get all the 5 star recruits you need the top of the line facilities and budget to go and get them. Also playing the best in every comference is the biggest thing that I like. you look and the conference teams and you look at there non-conference scedual and it is sad and i dont want to see ND get into that. you look at Floida and yes the SEC is a tough conference but there non-conference they play and so weak, but they get a little bit of a break because the SEC is so tough. Then you look and at hawaii in the WAC, there conference is full of cream puffs already and then they play a really weak non-conference secdual as well and that sickens me to think they are ranked in the top ten.

 

[ab2cmiller]

After Kevin White signed the new BCS deal, I don't think that there is a huge difference in BCS money that we are getting now compared to being in a conference. Where we have the money advantage is the TV contract with NBC.

 

[GoshenGipper]

One of the few reasons that I've heard for people wanting to join the Big Ten was for reserch money and info, but just as they did in '95 with their busness school ($40 mil.) ND is building a new high-tech sience building and new equipment that'll run them around $70 mil., so when ND can afford to take ventures like that it kind of defeats the argument to join for reserch money and info.

 

[daytonirish]

I don't want N.D. to join a conference. As far as the money issue. Maybe it helps them get grant money, but I'm sure they would lose alot of money from alumni if they ever joined a conference. The alumni,current students and life long fans of N.D. are a funny bunch. We like the fact that we are independent and the rest of the college football world hates us and is jealous of us because we are independent.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Yes, oppossing fans typically try to slam us in one of two ways:

1. Calling CW "Fatman"
2. Just join a conference already.

It just kills them that we are independent. We all know that if the situations were reversed, their school would be independent as well.

 

[goldandblue]

Very true Dayton! I don't think they hate us because we are independant though, they hate us because WE ARE N.D.

 

[Newc]

I don't want N.D. to join a conference. As far as the money issue. Maybe it helos them get grant money, but I'm sure they would lose alot of money from alumni if they ever joined a conference. The alumni,current students and life long fans of N.D. are a funny bunch. We like the fact that we are independent and the rest of the college football world hates us and is jealous of us because we are independent.

Thats a good point. I'm sure it would ruffle the feathers of many contributors if ND were to join a conference. Tradition is everything at ND.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

Hi everyone. I'm sure your wondering what a Michigan fan is doing here posting on your very nice looking Notre Dame site.

Well I am working on a project for a class and I am in need of Notre Dame fans opinions. Your the first of a few different Notre Dame forums/websites that I am looking to hear from.

We are currently working on a Mock Case as if we were presenting the idea of moving Notre Dame to a conference (Big East, Big Ten, ACC) or staying as a Independent to the President/AD of Notre Dame.

All of the groups (4-5 students) are presented of taking the issue from a different view point. For instance, I am working on the issue if Notre Dame was to move to the ACC but I feel that they should stay Independent. My other group memeber is searching on if Notre Dame was to move to the Big Ten.


So my question is to the fans of Notre Dame Nation, how would you feel about this? How would you take to the idea of Notre Dame joining a conference like the Big East, ACC, or Big Ten? Good? Bad? Ruin the tradition of Notre Dame? Traveling? Competition?

I am looking to hear all opinions and all will be looked at. I hope to hear from all of you and thank you for your time.


Thank You! I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

- Jeff, GO BLUE!

Exactly how does that benefit the Irish?? LOL

 

[goldandblue]

It doesn't So what are the results of your project so far UMgoBlue? Look from here they are pretty one sided. Is that the norm at the other boards?

 

[solo]

Why to stay independant:

1. Tradition
2. National Schedule
3. Lucrative TV deal with NBC
4. Don't have to share bowl revenue

Reasons to join a conference

1. To play for a title other than NC. Once you lose a game or two, there isn't much to play for as an independant. But you can still win your conference.

2. Guaranteed tie in with more bowls. Shared conference revenue from bowl games.

 

[NDSMC78]

It would be a black day indeed should ND ever consider joining a conference. I personally would rather have ND become a 1AA independent or drop football than join a conference.

 

[goldandblue]

I'm not too sure I'm willing to give up N.D. football all together over joining a conference.

 

[daytonirish]

No I wouldn't like it but I sure as he.. wouldn't give it up.

 

[UMGoBlue]

It doesn't So what are the results of your project so far UMgoBlue? Look from here they are pretty one sided. Is that the norm at the other boards?

Yeah, it's been the same pretty much at all of them today but I'm heading out for the night.

Thanks to everyone's responses today! It will be a great help to me!


Thanks!