Where does Notre Dame fit in with Conference Realignment?

I don't know all the intricacies of ND's deal with the ACC but I do believe that there's a stipulation of if they join a conference other than the ACC then they would have to pay the ACC a bungload of money. I'm sure someone else can explain it more eloquently and concisely than I can. Why ND would agree to such a thing if they want to be independent anyway IDK and it appears that they've hitched their horse to the wrong wagon.

Always seemed weird to me that their biggest rivals are in the Pac/Big 10 (USC/Stanford/Michigan/Sparty) but they seemed adamant to have their non-football sports be affiliated with the Big East/ACC of all conferences. But that's what they did.

I think the B1G endgame would be getting Stanford and ND to close it out. ND is obviously the real challenge. But if they did that there would be 5 west coast teams and at least IMO relieves some of the travel stigma.

quote:

---

I don't know all the intricacies of ND's deal with the ACC but I do believe that there's a stipulation of if they join a conference other than the ACC then they would have to pay the ACC a bungload of money

---

$100M if they join another conference

They're going to stay independent. It'd in their best interest

quote:

---

So how does Notre Dame factor into Conference Realignment?

---

Why do they have to? Any deal with the playoff will always have a Notre Dame clause just like the BCS did. Money isn't a issue Notre Dame has the money of the Catholic Church behind it. Notre Dame has always been a independent and has remained so because they don't need a conference and has shown no interest in ever doing so. Yeah they play in ACC in all sports except football. I suspect that this has little to do with money and more to do with because there are so few independents left that scheduling became harder and harder for their other sports. Yeah they agreed when joining the ACC that if they ever chose to join a league in football they are obligated to join the ACC. I don't know the specifics of that but I would imagine they didn't box themselves in here. They only agreed to this because they know they will never join a league.

quote:

---

Big Ten

ETA: I disagree on the leverage part, though. ND is the sole remaining school of substantial value. They’re unparalleled in that regard and trump FSU, North Carolina, Virginia, Stanford. Anyone — Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, fricking SWAC would take them, and they know that. They’ll milk the faux-independence for as long as possible, and when push comes to shove, they’ll join the Big Ten.

---

Here's why I disagree with that. Yes you are correct that ND has by far the most substantial value of any remaining school. There's no doubt about that. But ND is the one here at risk of being locked out of the highest level of college football.

Let's say neither the Big 10 or SEC can get ND to join as a full member. Then the Big 10 gets Stanford and one other member (either Cal, UNC or UVA). Then the SEC gets 4 members from the ACC.

At that point both the SEC and Big 10 have 20 members and could easily break away from the NCAA and form their own league for football. I could easily see a format where essentially the SEC and Big 10 have four 5 team divisions and have a playoff setup similar to the NFL. SEC and Big 10 would be just like the NFC and AFC and the SEC and Big 10 divisions would be like the older college football conferences to maintain some sense of regional traditions and rivalries. Then you have the winner of the SEC and Big 10 playoffs meet in the National Championship Game.

Sure ND could stay independent and be in an NCAA league with what's left of the ACC, Big 12, Mountain West, American, Sun Belt and Big East (for all other sports). Heck in that scenario ND might actually have a really good chance against to compete for "National Championships" at that level.

But it will be a joke and everyone will know it. Will ND really be happy competing for and winning "National Championships" at what will essentially be looked at the same way as how we look at FCS championships now? Will ND really be happy competing at essentially a lower level of football than all its historical rivals? Heck compare it to soccer. Will ND really be happy competing in the Championship League while its historical rivals compete in the Premiere League and bring in a whole lot more money?

I seriously doubt that. But that's the reality if they don't join the Big 10 or SEC. Everyone is largely sick of the NCAA and eventually with the 20 team Big 10 and 20 team SEC the leagues are going to break away from the NCAA, either for football or possibly for all sports (though I'm hoping it's just for football).

The Big 10 and SEC would like ND, but they do not need ND. ND will need the Big 10 and SEC if they don't want to be eventually locked out of ever competing at the highest level and for National Titles ever again.

The only thing that will push ND to join in football is if their secondary sports lose a conference.

They will when they have no seat at the table and cant compete for a national title

quote:

---

At some point, the big conferences will be able to lock ND out of the playoffs, and then they will, and then that's it for ND. ND has to jump soon.

---

If the SEC believes ND would join the BIG, as most of us do, they will allow ND to continue to compete as an independent and have a seat at the table.

quote:

---

Why would they want to do this?

---

Why should ND get special treatment?

Besides, if the eventual goal is to break away from the NCAA (which I think it is) and form their own football league with their own playoffs you can't just create a special exception for one school.

If the SEC and Big 10 both have 20 schools and break away for football you are then talking about a 12 team playoff (each division winner gets into the playoff as well as 4 at larges from the conferences). Where does ND fit in? If the SEC and Big 10 split away from the NCAA you are most likely going to have a 12 game season where there are 10 conference games and the other 2 non-conference games would be against a team from the other conference (since they couldn't schedule NCAA schools). ND would be locked out.