Notre Dame whines

[Pakuni]

Good Lord, these people. Bails on the Big East and then complains when the C7 doesn't bring them in on their discussions.

One of Swarbrick's biggest frustrations has been being boxed out of the Big East discussions. Notre Dame announced it was leaving the league in September. Under its Mutual Commitment Agreement with the league, Notre Dame does not owe an exit fee.

Swarbrick said that Notre Dame paying a big buyout to leave the league is "frankly not something that we ever contemplated."

One of Swarbrick's other issues has been being left out of deliberations, which means Notre Dame essentially doesn't even know what its potential options are.

"You have to be able to articulate what those options are," he said. "A big part of the timetable that's now playing out and our lack of involvement in the process is that we can't get a handle on that."

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20121217/notre-dame-jack-swarbrick/#ixzz2FLrs1R6R

[GOO]

ND is just setting up an early exit.  I don't blame them if the league doesn't even keep them informed on what is going on... they still need to plan their schedules while in the BE.  Do they really want to be stuck in some nationwide all sports conference for a year or two if the football schools can pull it off (which I doubt they can).   Plus, this is just publicly saying that they should leave early with a small penalty, which is what they will say in court when they leave early.  ND has the possibility of the BE falling apart before they are in the ACC, or worse, having to play the new schools in basketball and non-revenue sports.

[Pakuni]

ND is just setting up an early exit.  I don't blame them if the league doesn't even keep them informed on what is going on... they still need to plan their schedules while in the BE.  Do they really want to be stuck in some nationwide all sports conference for a year or two if the football schools can pull it off (which I doubt they can).   Plus, this is just publicly saying that they should leave early with a small penalty, which is what they will say in court when they leave early.  ND has the possibility of the BE falling apart before they are in the ACC, or worse, having to play the new schools in basketball and non-revenue sports.

F--- 'em.
They knew, or should have known, this was not only possible, but likely, when they left. Remember, Mike Brey said the Catholic schools were taking about breaking off even before ND was invited to the ACC. This comes as no surprise to them. Deal with the consequences.

[Nukem2]

Unfortunately, the TV factors affect the C7 schools as well.  Time is of the essence for just about everything BE-related.

[GGGG]

Pakuni, as GOO said, they really are only using their "whining" to get to the ACC early.  Not that big of a deal....I doubt they are truly concerned.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Except the C7 only lose $1.5 million worst case if no TV deal for next season...but they have leverage NOW with the BE football schools as they have no football or basketball contract in place so it is in their best interest to settle with the C7 and move as their loss is bigger.  The C7 played the timing well to move out as the BE football schools are over a barrel to settle and release them early.  No one else gives a dump about ND...in fact, it is in both the C7 and BE football schools' best interest to leave them and the ACC out hanging.  Pay up Domers and you get your wish.

Glad LW learned well from Mr. Slimey at UND.  

[Pakuni]

Pakuni, as GOO said, they really are only using their "whining" to get to the ACC early.  Not that big of a deal....I doubt they are truly concerned.

Yes,  understand that. Yet it comes off as whiny and even hypocritical for them to say they're leaving the Big East, but believe they still ought to have input and influence in regards to the conference's future.

[chapman]

We need to whine as well.  Whatever makes it easier to leave sooner.

[77ncaachamps]

That's what you get for being an  independent in the sport that truly matters in the new conference realignment universe: football.

That said, they'll be fine wherever they land.

[Avenue Commons]

What does ND get from ACC sans football? Couldn't a league of their natural rivals compete?

[Dawson Rental]

What does ND get from ACC sans football? Couldn't a league of their natural rivals compete?

With football conferences getting bigger, their football teams need to schedule more conference games, making it more difficult for FBS football schools to schedule out of conference games with a football independent like say Notre Dame during the season.  What Notre Dame gets from their ACC affiliation is a guarantee of five football games scheduled with ACC teams during the ACC conference season which greatly reduces ND's scheduling difficulties as an independent football program.

[Blackhat]

Big thing for ND and their deal with ACC is they get bowl game "tie in's" with the bowls ACC has developed a relationship with, namely Orange Bowl, Champs Bowl, Chick-Fil-A, Gator Bowl, etc.   

That is a big thing for ND as bowls contract with conferences.

[Dawson Rental]

Big thing for ND and their deal with ACC is they get bowl game "tie in's" with the bowls ACC has developed a relationship with, namely Orange Bowl, Champs Bowl, Chick-Fil-A, Gator Bowl, etc.   

That is a big thing for ND as bowls contract with conferences.

And by having another "name" football program that they can provide, the ACC has an easier time getting/keeping contacts with bowl games.  I'm starting to see the synergy here.

[mug644]

Big thing for ND and their deal with ACC is they get bowl game "tie in's" with the bowls ACC has developed a relationship with, namely Orange Bowl, Champs Bowl, Chick-Fil-A, Gator Bowl, etc.   

That is a big thing for ND as bowls contract with conferences.

It surprises me to read that ND's half-in, more than half-out status for football with the ACC, where they simply need to schedule 5 ACC games per year (or maybe the ACC schedules those games?). would allow them to claim a spot as one of the ACC's bowl game 'automatic qualifiers.' If I'm the ACC team that ND pushes out of a bowl game, then I'm pissed off. Or, will I at least cash a check that comes to the ACC via ND's participation in that bowl game?

[Pakuni]

It surprises me to read that ND's half-in, more than half-out status for football with the ACC, where they simply need to schedule 5 ACC games per year (or maybe the ACC schedules those games?). would allow them to claim a spot as one of the ACC's bowl game 'automatic qualifiers.' If I'm the ACC team that ND pushes out of a bowl game, then I'm pissed off. Or, will I at least cash a check that comes to the ACC via ND's participation in that bowl game?

Notre Dame had the same arrangement with the Big East.

[Dawson Rental]

It surprises me to read that ND's half-in, more than half-out status for football with the ACC, where they simply need to schedule 5 ACC games per year (or maybe the ACC schedules those games?). would allow them to claim a spot as one of the ACC's bowl game 'automatic qualifiers.' If I'm the ACC team that ND pushes out of a bowl game, then I'm pissed off. Or, will I at least cash a check that comes to the ACC via ND's participation in that bowl game?

I don't know for certain, but I'm betting heavily that you as an ACC member don't see a cent from ND's participation in an ACC affiliated bowl game.  Nor do you see a cent from the revenue from ND's TV contract with NBC.  You take solace from the likely fact that the possibility that a bowl game will get ND from its contract with the ACC just might keep that bowl game from dropping the ACC for a contract with the SEC or Big Ten which now have more teams to find bowl games for as a consequence of their recent expansions.

[Blackhat]

Orange Bowl actually isn't tied in.   ND rule still applies for BCS Bowls (orange) auto pick if in top 8, possible at-large if in top 14 with 9 wins.

ND was down to the sun bowl and Champs bowl once every 5 (?) years in the BE if they didn't make the BCS.   They strengthened their football with the deal which was a large reason they went to the ACC with their non-fb sports.

[mug644]

I don't know for certain, but I'm betting heavily that you as an ACC member don't see a cent from ND's participation in an ACC affiliated bowl game.  Nor do you see a cent from the revenue from ND's TV contract with NBC.  You take solace from the likely fact that the possibility that a bowl game will get ND from its contract with the ACC just might keep that bowl game from dropping the ACC for a contract with the SEC or Big Ten which now have more teams to find bowl games for as a consequence of their recent expansions.

Plus, I suppose, ACC teams like having the possibility of playing ND in football every so often, as it likely guarantees a nationally-televised game, bringing in good money.

Wow, ND has such leverage, and they are using it. Can't really fault them for that. But they should stop whining.

[Benny B]

I'm not sure I buy the "scheduling" and "bowl tie-in" benefits of the ACC (or any conference, for that matter).  First off, Notre Dame has never had any difficulty scheduling football games... BC, USC, Stanford, MSU and Michigan will play them every year, and two of the service academies will play them every year.   That's seven games. Add in two buy games vs. the likes of Ball State, Directional Michigan University, etc. and you're up to nine.  Then play another Big Ten team, a Big 12 team and an SEC team, and your season schedule is rounded out.

As far as the bowl tie-ins.... there's little, if any, money to be made outside the BCS bowls, and even those may be on their way out.  Unless ND is in the playoffs, they could probably make just as much money by playing another "bowl" game in South Bend simply by inviting the best team left out... it might be a no-name match-up, but it would still sell out, and they can rope NBC into televising the thing.  Plus, with FBS moving towards a playoff, these bowl tie-ins aren't going to be worth much to the schools in 5-10 years.

[Dawson Rental]

I'm not sure I buy the "scheduling" and "bowl tie-in" benefits of the ACC (or any conference, for that matter).  First off, Notre Dame has never had any difficulty scheduling football games... BC, USC, Stanford, MSU and Michigan will play them every year, and two of the service academies will play them every year.   That's seven games. Add in two buy games vs. the likes of Ball State, Directional Michigan University, etc. and you're up to nine.  Then play another Big Ten team, a Big 12 team and an SEC team, and your season schedule is rounded out.

As far as the bowl tie-ins.... there's little, if any, money to be made outside the BCS bowls, and even those may be on their way out.  Unless ND is in the playoffs, they could probably make just as much money by playing another "bowl" game in South Bend simply by inviting the best team left out... it might be a no-name match-up, but it would still sell out, and they can rope NBC into televising the thing.  Plus, with FBS moving towards a playoff, these bowl tie-ins aren't going to be worth much to the schools in 5-10 years.

All of the non-service academy teams that you say will schedule them every year are going to lose scheduling flexibility as a result of increases in their conference membership.  All those schools may want to play Notre Dame, but will they all be able to schedule ND on different weekends during the conference season?  Scheduling is definitely getting tighter for football independents.

[Benny B]

All of the non-service academy teams that you say will schedule them every year are going to lose scheduling flexibility as a result of increases in their conference membership.  All those schools may want to play Notre Dame, but will they all be able to schedule ND on different weekends during the conference season?  Scheduling is definitely getting tighter for football independents.

Every school plays four non-conference games, so the issue would be scheduling during the regular season.  Most conferences already build in bye weeks during the conference season, so there's definitely room to schedule ND.  Sure, things will be tight, but if Michigan goes to the Big? schedulers and says we need to play ND on X, Y or Z, is Jimmy D going to say no to all three?  Of course not.

The whole "scheduling is getting tighter for football independents" is a distraction.  We're talking Notre Dame here, not Boise State.  Most every FBS school will bend over backwards to schedule ND because those games mean big money.