ND one of Four offered in Big 10 expansion

[NeuteredDoomer]

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany denies latest expansion rumors - ESPN

"Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany e-mailed conference officials Tuesday to stamp out a rumor that four schools had already been offered a chance to join the league.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith confirmed Tuesday that Delany had quashed a report that the Big Ten had offered expansion spots to Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Rutgers."

Mike & Mike (Golic) on ESPN said yesterday early that exact same thing, They said it live (or taped, I'm on Cali time...) that Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Rutgers had been asked to join the conference.

How about the military start its own conference? Army, Navy, Air Force, ND, Texas A&M, Boston College, Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and others? I've heard ND has one of the largest per capita ROTC programs in the country.

 

[irishmarine]

If it's true it would just give me another reason to live notre dame alot more (if possible) I wouldn't bevagaijst the military starting thie own conf but how would that affect bcs games? Woukd they automatically give them a bcs game? I don't know if that woukd be good necessarily.

 

[laservet]

What's your point? While we have solid graduate and Law programs, our real strength is in our undergraduate programs.

My point is that undergraduate education isn't the main thrust of B10 universities. Their main focus is graduate education and research, which is why membership in the AAU has always been a litmus test for admission to the B10. It's not a coincidence that 30% of the doctorates conferred in the US are from B10 universities. The only time they took in a university that wasn't an AAU member, the university was close to qualifying and was given a couple of years to do so.

That's why Missouri is a strong contender despite a very mediocre undergraduate reputation; they've been an AAU member for over 100 years. AAU membership is the single overriding academic factor for B10 universities in this expansion. And while expansion is football-driven, the decisions aren't going to be made by football coaches or athletic directors, and academics will play a huge role. In some cases many of the academic powers in these universities resent football for what they perceive as undeserving media attention year in and year out. And they may have a point, the pool of research money available to these schools dwarfs the sports income. Membership in the conference would give the new member a minimum of $40 million in research money, assuming they have the programs in place to use it.

The money the B10 Network throws around is compelling to some, particularly cash-strapped universities in this poor economy. Even the B12 commissioner left the B12 to work for the B10 Network (he moved on to become vice comm for the Pac 10). But Notre Dame doesn't need the money. In total dollars coming in to the university ND ranks fifth in the country, behind only Texas, Stanford, Michigan, and another I can't remember.

I just don't think ND and the B10 are a good match. Both would have to make huge concessions. ND would have to be happy with membership in a conference without any special sweetheart media deals, they would be just another member like NW, Iowa, etc. And ND would have to change their academic focus. The B10 would have to change their academic focus as well. I don't think both sides can swallow their pride long enough to make it happen.

YMMV, contents may have settled in shipping, etc.

 

[mick2]

I just don't see it that way. It's possible that a scenario could develop where ND would be left out of the BCS NC picture, as an independent. It's pretty slim, but it could happen. In that case, then the obvious positive outcome would be access to the NC game. Under the current system/conference alignments, I would agree with you. I just think that College Football is about to undergo some major changes, in regards to conference alignments, and that may put ND in a position on the outside, looking in.

you really think that ND would be left out of big time college football? Come on get serious here, we may not have been the Notre Dame of old lately but we are still a national presence, its not like we'll wither away and be relegated to the ivy league.

Besides there was talk that if the big 12 gets plucked too much that Texas may decide to be an independent, independence is still an option, you simply cannot force a team of ND's magnitude to join a conference i they do not want to.

 

[kmoose]

you really think that ND would be left out of big time college football?

I absolutely believe that it's possible for ND to end up being faced with either having to join a conference, or being left out of the NC picture. In the current system, that means that I believe that they could end up in a situation where they are left out of the NC game, but still included in the non-NC BCS games.

 

[FrankMA]

I just don't see it that way. It's possible that a scenario could develop where ND would be left out of the BCS NC picture, as an independent. It's pretty slim, but it could happen. In that case, then the obvious positive outcome would be access to the NC game. Under the current system/conference alignments, I would agree with you. I just think that College Football is about to undergo some major changes, in regards to conference alignments, and that may put ND in a position on the outside, looking in.

I think ND has to start winning again. If they do that nobody is going to keep them out of anything. If ND is winning and are marketed right-ND will be the biggest money maker by far in college football without any conference to dictate what they can and cannot do. Conference affiliate would eventually kill the ND brand and severely cut football revenues. The short term gain will result in long term loses.

 

[ryno 24]

its not official and that is a great thing as long as they only take one big east team we will be fine

 

[mick2]

I absolutely believe that it's possible for ND to end up being faced with either having to join a conference, or being left out of the NC picture. In the current system, that means that I believe that they could end up in a situation where they are left out of the NC game, but still included in the non-NC BCS games.

no way man, ND has too big a following, and makes way too much money for the ncaa, and every school we play gets a huge paycheck just for playing us if you think the ncaa and those schools will just wave bye-bye to those millions of dollars your crazy!

 

[ryno 24]

they are going to be fine and the big east will be also i just saw an article where if notre dame doesnt go it will be either maryland or vanderbuilt or georgia tech it doesnt look like the big east will be hit hard at all

 

[kmoose]

no way man, ND has too big a following, and makes way too much money for the ncaa, and every school we play gets a huge paycheck just for playing us if you think the ncaa and those schools will just wave bye-bye to those millions of dollars your crazy!

Mick,

I get what you are saying, and I agree; ND is a cash cow like very few others. But we have to realize......... College Football is growing, revenue-wise. If it keeps growing, it will only be a matter of time before the big boys are making enough that they will no longer need the added revenue that an independent ND brings. I've never said it is an absolute, just that it is possible.

 

[TerryTate]

Article on SI:

Predicting if Notre Dame, expansion candidates will jump ship - Andy Staples - SI.com

The best estimate for the Big Ten's revenue distribution during the next few years is about $20-$22 million per school per year, but that figure also includes bowl and NCAA Tournament revenue. Given the current revenues, Notre Dame -- which received $1.3 million from the BCS in 2009 -- still would stand to make slightly more as a Big Ten member.

That "slightly" is a bit misleading, because adding Notre Dame would allow the BTN to expand its revenue base nationwide. Cable systems in markets with a heavy Catholic populations would consider placing the BTN on expanded basic, adding to the pot. Another question is Notre Dame's future with NBC. Cable giant Comcast is acquiring the network at a time when Notre Dame's brand, while still powerful, doesn't carry the weight it did in 1991 when the first NBC pact began.

Prediction: Despite the financial benefit it could offer Notre Dame, the Big Ten still would need to blow up the Big East to force Notre Dame's hand. That probably would require the acquisition of at least three Big East teams. If that doesn't happen, expect Notre Dame to remain independent in football.