Notre Dame and Television Money

[GGGG]

This is a few months old, but basically it rips apart the myth that Notre Dame's independence provides it with substantial financial benefits.

http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/06/15/as-notre-dames-tv-money-dwindles-so-too-should-its-independenc/

I have a feeling that they will regret not joining the Big Ten if they haven't done so already.

[StillAWarrior]

I have a feeling that they will regret not joining the Big Ten if they haven't done so already.

I'm fairly certain that ND hasn't already joined the Big Ten.   

[ChicosBailBonds]

There are some significant gaps in that article, mostly on the merchandising and other revenue streams which ND receives and does not share with any conference brethren.

[GGGG]

Chicos, it also doesn't mention bowl revenue.  However, one of the problems with ND's bowl revenue in the future is that it is tied into the Big East.  If ND doesn't make a BCS bowl, the best they can do starting next season is the Champs Sports Bowl.  Now that bowl has increased its payout, but it isn't exactly a high level game.

But television money is the bulk of non-ticket revenue that supports college athletics right?

[LON]

I'm fairly certain that ND hasn't already joined the Big Ten.   

But they could feel regret, which is what he said.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Chicos, it also doesn't mention bowl revenue.  However, one of the problems with ND's bowl revenue in the future is that it is tied into the Big East.  If ND doesn't make a BCS bowl, the best they can do starting next season is the Champs Sports Bowl.  Now that bowl has increased its payout, but it isn't exactly a high level game.

But television money is the bulk of non-ticket revenue that supports college athletics right?

It's been awhile since I've been away from college athletics for a good long time now, but the latest data I saw was when we helped start the Big Ten Network a few years ago (that was a News Corp 49% ownership / Big Ten 51%).

At the time, Notre Dame was like 6th or 7th in revenues.  However, they were number 1 in profit (I've seen other listings ranking them #2 in profit).  The reason was simple, they didn't have to share with anyone.  

Now, I realize that the television contracts have exploded, but I don't think the original article properly states the current revenue sharing structures for the conferences, plus they admit that the ND information is a guess.  ND is smart, they're going to make sure they are making around the same (if not more) money on a per school basis as everyone else.  They still rank in the top 10 in merchandise sales as well, none of which has to be shared.

I would be surprised if Notre Dame goes to a conference any time soon, especially with a new football coach about to be hired.  That being said, this is a critical hire for them.  They have screwed the pooch so badly with the last three hires that they better hit a home run on this one.

[StillAWarrior]

I would be surprised if Notre Dame goes to a conference any time soon, especially with a new football coach about to be hired.  That being said, this is a critical hire for them.  They have screwed the pooch so badly with the last three hires that they better hit a home run on this one.

It's amazing how badly ND has done in their coaching hires for a long, long time.  Here's a tip for Notre Dame (free of charge):  try to hire a successful college football head coach.  Not a successful high school football coach (Faust).  Not a successful college football coordinator (Davie).  Not a marginal college football coach (Willingham).  Not a successful NFL coordinator (Weis).  It bears repeating:  hire a successful college football head coach.  I really don't think this is rocket science.  Quit trying to be creative or make a splash and just hire a damn successful college football head coach.

Yes, I'm a Notre Dame football fan.  Sorry.  My dad went there, and since Marquette didn't have a team, I just never grew out of it.  I hate ND basketball, though -- as any good Marquette fan must.

[ChicosBailBonds]

It's amazing how badly ND has done in their coaching hires for a long, long time.  Here's a tip for Notre Dame (free of charge):  try to hire a successful college football head coach.  Not a successful high school football coach (Faust).  Not a successful college football coordinator (Davie).  Not a marginal college football coach (Willingham).  Not a successful NFL coordinator (Weis).  It bears repeating:  hire a successful college football head coach.  I really don't think this is rocket science.  Quit trying to be creative or make a splash and just hire a damn successful college football head coach.

Yes, I'm a Notre Dame football fan.  Sorry.  My dad went there, and since Marquette didn't have a team, I just never grew out of it.  I hate ND basketball, though -- as any good Marquette fan must.

I grew up a ND fan...the only school I was not admitted to.  Pissed me off since a kid in my high school got in with lesser grades and was not an all-league athlete like I was, but his dad went to ND so that's all that mattered.

It is crazy how they've messed up for so long, truly amazing. 

[GGGG]

It's amazing how badly ND has done in their coaching hires for a long, long time.  Here's a tip for Notre Dame (free of charge):  try to hire a successful college football head coach.  Not a successful high school football coach (Faust).  Not a successful college football coordinator (Davie).  Not a marginal college football coach (Willingham).  Not a successful NFL coordinator (Weis).  It bears repeating:  hire a successful college football head coach.  I really don't think this is rocket science.  Quit trying to be creative or make a splash and just hire a damn successful college football head coach.

Well the problem is that they are having trouble with that because the successful college coaches don't seem to want to go there.  Now Brian Kelly is a very good coach.  He'd be a real nice fit for ND.  But they need to stop thinking that Urban Meyer or Bob Stoops will want to coach there simply because it's ND.

The reality of the mystique is much less than the perception by ND fans.

[CAINMUTINY]

It's notre dame, It's notre dame

[StillAWarrior]

Well the problem is that they are having trouble with that because the successful college coaches don't seem to want to go there.  Now Brian Kelly is a very good coach.  He'd be a real nice fit for ND.  But they need to stop thinking that Urban Meyer or Bob Stoops will want to coach there simply because it's ND.

The reality of the mystique is much less than the perception by ND fans.

I agree completely.  I think there are plenty of successfull college head football coaches out there who probably would love to work at ND.  Honestly, I'm not suggesting that the bar be set terribly high.  Meyer and Stoops are far more than successful college head football coaches -- they're at the very top.  That's not what I'm talking about.  ND just needs to stop trying to make a splash and hire someone that has head coaching experience and has done well.  If they try to go out and make a splash by luring a coach with national championships from a top flight program, they will get embarrassed because they will be turned down.  If they try to make a splash by hiring an NFL coach who doesn't have college experience, they likely will fail because the job is just too different.  

It's simple:  hire a college head coach who has had success.  Kelly would be perfect and, as I'm sure you know, is the name most frequently mentioned.