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Perhaps they will see joining a conference a way to avoid irrelevance, if auto bid is eliminated? Big Ten has always been the assumption, but the BE would be good for everyone, including ND, which would likely have a better winning record, as a result. However, for FB attendance reasons, the Big Ten FB would generate the most $.

Water Pony wrote:However, for FB attendance reasons, the Big Ten FB would generate the most $.

That's right:

B1G programs among most profitable

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/i ... profitable

Now for the not so great: the ACC and the Big East. The ACC did have eight schools report a profit; unfortunately, five of them were below the $1 million mark. Only Virginia, Virginia Tech and Miami topped the $1 million mark. Of those three, UVA is probably the biggest surprise on the national scale, and for those with knowledge of Virginia's gigantic athletic department, the feat is even more impressive.

In the Big East, we see just three schools make the cut for finishing in the black. Louisville, Syracuse and UConn are carrying the torch for the league, which is in a bit of disarray as it stands now. West Virginia does not make the list and with these numbers, is it any wonder why the Mountaineers are headed to the Big 12 to get their money up?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1115 ... -2010-2011

I know -- hate to cite bleacher.

these numbers are before the new big east tv contract which changes everything

But can ND even compete in the Big 10?

It serves them right. They deserve no special treatment at all. Even with all of their added benefits they haven't been even remotely relevant since the late 80s.

So the mighty fall. Looks like TU can add ND to the Longhorn network soon. Is it possible to have a two arrogant teams conference?

I am a Notre Dame hater from way back, but being their Protestant school football rival in the Big East would be a terrific story line. I know most of you say it will never happen, but ND could easily maintain most of their rivalries including their annual SC game. In fact, the SC/ND matchup would be great for bringing attention to the BE.

Topper wrote:I am a Notre Dame hater from way back, but being their Protestant school football rival in the Big East would be a terrific story line. I know most of you say it will never happen, but ND could easily maintain most of their rivalries including their annual SC game. In fact, the SC/ND matchup would be great for bringing attention to the BE.

About 20% of SMU undergrads identify themselves as Catholic, making them one of the largest (and sometimes the largest) groups. But ND viewership even with their performance slump is still one of the top 5 in the FBS, and they would fit right in the Big10 revenue/market wise. Don't think they would join the BE unless they could pull a UT type of power play.

They have turned their once great name into a joke.

I T MUST HAVE BEEN TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO AND MAYBE FORTY - the first long serious article i ever read about the idea of college football playoffs leading to a true national championship. I want to say it was in Sports Illustrated and by Zimmerman but I might have the source and / or the author wrong. IIRC the writer made ten points about the necessary elements and one of them was that programs like Notre Dame could join a conference or stay home in the post season. Period.

I missed it if the article has ever been mentioned on Ponyfans.

At present, the Irish have almost made themselves irrelevant, as noted.

I have tried and failed to find the article recently. Maybe a better researcher would have a different result. It would be interesting to read again even though so many things are different. Above all, I think that to have a real playoff system is going to take a sponsor with very deep pockets to make it interesting enough for participants to give up their prejudices for this current arr4angement.

MustangSTATS wrote:

Topper wrote:I am a Notre Dame hater from way back, but being their Protestant school football rival in the Big East would be a terrific story line. I know most of you say it will never happen, but ND could easily maintain most of their rivalries including their annual SC game. In fact, the SC/ND matchup would be great for bringing attention to the BE.

About 20% of SMU undergrads identify themselves as Catholic, making them one of the largest (and sometimes the largest) groups. But ND viewership even with their performance slump is still one of the top 5 in the FBS, and they would fit right in the Big10 revenue/market wise. Don't think they would join the BE unless they could pull a UT type of power play.

I am not sure what 20% Catholic population at SMU has to do with the school being identified as primarily Protestant. Nevertheless, I think ND may be the only school that could get away with a UT type power play and that the Big East is a conference where such a thing might happen because the value of the BE TV contract would go up with ND appearing 4 times a year on the BE network even if the Irish keep their NBC contract.