To clarify, when I was speaking about "Inventory", my main point was that ABC/ESPN, who pretty much own college football, need inventory because they have ESPNU, ESPN, ESPN2, & ABC that all need to air college football games on Saturdays.
If you are bidding on the ND contract, it is a little less valuable because Notre Dame is one school, and as elite as it is, if you can own the rights to a Notre Dame game and fill 1 channel, or own the rights to the Big Ten Contract w/ Michigan, PSU, Ohio State, Nebraska, Etc., which option is more appealing to you?
As I mentioned above, the addition of the BTN revenue has really improved the Big Ten's TV revenue as well - it has been a resounding success.
EDIT: LOL! Apparently my first post needs to be approved or something? I just typed up about a 4 paragraph long narrative to JughedJones & it didn't show up. The gist of it can be found in these two articles:
As Notre Dame's TV Money Dwindles, So Too Should Its Independence
Big Ten could see TV money skyrocket with expansion - Chicago Tribune
Hopefully my full post eventually shows up, but the bottom line is that ND, in a year when they don't go to a BCS bowl, would likely take home about $12M in TV revenue - EVERY Big Ten school (including Indiana & NW) took home about $22M last year, and that will continue to rise as the BTN continues to establish itself (and it will jump substantially in 2016 when the Big Ten renegotiates its Tier 1 TV contract w/ ABC/ESPN).
Notre Dame would make substantially more TV money in a conference today than it can by itself, it remains independent because independence is what defines the program, not because it makes financial sense.
With the watershed change that is about to take place with the college football postseason, perhaps Notre Dame's priorities will change. It will be interesting to watch.