ND forced to big 10?...espn insider

[NickSMU17]

How Irish end up in Big Ten
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Todd Jones of the Columbus Dispatch says that although the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have rejected the Big Ten many times throughout the years, the conference may finally force the school to join them by expanding eastward.

Although Notre Dame's football team has remained independent, the school's other sports teams all compete in the Big East. The Big Ten's strategy, then, is to raid some of the Big East's teams, leaving that conference weakened or outright dissolved, and making the Big Ten that much more attractive to the Irish.

"The Big Ten, already richer than any conference thanks to its network, could add Eastern audiences by luring Rutgers, Syracuse and Pittsburgh away from the Big East," Jones writes. "A wounded Big East would leave Notre Dame's other sports in a league with an uncertain future, forcing the school to reconsider the worth of football independence."

Notre Dame has admitted in the past that they may not control their fate. "You could invent a scenario that would force our hand," Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said a year ago as the Big Ten spearheaded conference realignment.

Joining the Big Ten wouldn't be all bad for Notre Dame. "Today, Notre Dame earns less annually from NBC ($15 million) than each Big Ten member receives from its conference ($22 million)," Jones writes.

[MustangSTATS]

Notre Dame's tv contract with NBC goes through 2015. Big Ten is still on a twenty year contract with Fox for the Big Ten Network. Not saying this isn't were they are going, but will be intersting to see all the mega tv deals broken and remade. Can't imagine BTN with ND, that kind of market reach is frightening. Too bad the Big12 couldn't have gotten itself together to make a sole network. It would have been a basic cable requirement for homes in Texas.

[NomAnor]

IT is bad enough that I have to look at ND on the front page of espn.com every day for no reason no they pop up here stfu irish man i hate those bums

[Nacho]

what will tcu do if there is no big east?

[RednBlue11]

the BE was created for basketball, if all else fails that what it will go back to

[East Coast Mustang]

If BE crumbles schools like Georgetown, St. John's, Villanova, Providence, Seton Hall, etc. will still need a home for bball. Notre Dame could just join with them and remain independent in football if they wish

[RednBlue11]

If BE crumbles schools like Georgetown, St. John's, Villanova, Providence, Seton Hall, etc. will still need a home for bball. Notre Dame could just join with them and remain independent in football if they wish

that's what the arrangement is right now...

ND plays all sports other than Fball in the BE.

[redpony]

Let's see- ND, Pitt, MO. and Syracuse to the big10+lots. Pretty strong and complete conference.

GO PONIES!!!

[Charleston Pony]

Well, the Big 10 did make an exception for Nebraska because of their national reputation in football and obviously they have offered to do the same for Notre Dame...but if they can't get ND, my guess is they will stick to the original blueprint which would be to want any prospective new member to also be a member of the AAU. That group includes Rutgers, Pitt, Missou and Kansas. Not sure I see the Kansas Legislature allowing Kansas to move without KSU, though.

[redpony]

IMO the big 10 is not going to add KS. Nothing there-move on. I would not be suprised to see them add the whorens as a last option.

GO PONIES!!!

[Water Pony]

Believe it or not, the Big 10 will be very reluctant to add any new members. Without Armageddon and the chaos of being force to add superconference memberships, they appear to be very comfortable at 12. SEC does not appear anxious despite a willingess to accept A&M and get their TV contract renegoiated, as a results. Even the PAC 12's Scott is hearing from some members that 12 members in the Pacific and Mountain Time Zones are enough.

It may be seeing the situation depressurized and the Big 12 (with or without A&M) reestablish itself as a long term player.

[redpony]

Comments were based upon the b12-3 imploding. I doubt if any of the major conferences will sit still at that point.

GO PONIES!!!

PS- hope we can get a new natatorium soon. I remember Red Barrs teams and they were always champion caliber.

[Water Pony]

Comments were based upon the b12-3 imploding. I doubt if any of the major conferences will sit still at that point.

GO PONIES!!!

PS- hope we can get a new natatorium soon. I remember Red Barrs teams and they were always champion caliber.

Thanks, Red, for the 'shout out' to my coach, Red Barr, a true gentleman, coach and leader of young men. As for the natatorium, achieving BCS status will "dictate" we upgrade all sports, including facilities. So I am rooting for the big jump for SMU FB and beyond.

[RednBlue11]

t boone is convinced the big 12 isnt going anywhere...i believe him unless ou and texas go....like he said, he knows things they dont in the paper

[huskerpony]

Well, the Big 10 did make an exception for Nebraska because of their national reputation in football and obviously they have offered to do the same for Notre Dame...but if they can't get ND, my guess is they will stick to the original blueprint which would be to want any prospective new member to also be a member of the AAU. That group includes Rutgers, Pitt, Missou and Kansas. Not sure I see the Kansas Legislature allowing Kansas to move without KSU, though.

The Big 10 didn't make an exception for Nebraska. Nebraska was an AAU member when they joined the Big 10.....they have since been kicked out of the AAU, but they were an AAU member at the time. Oddly enough, it was a few of the Big Ten schools that voted them out of the AAU.

(Part of it has to do with the medical school at Nebraska being a separate entity, so the research dollars from the medical center don't get counted with the Lincoln campus. Some weird state law that got enacted in the 1800's because the medical school was stealing corpses for the anatomy lab....oops! )