Will Notre Dame join a Conference?

[bbdude]

The Irish are committed in their desire to remain as an independent but will they be forced to join a conference after the ACC exodus? Who the hell knows. What do you guys think?

 

[TuxedoYoda]

If the playoff structure gives even the slightest advantage to teams that win a conference title then ND will join somewhere as a full member, including football. The conference ADs all get together June 20th in Chicago to hash this out.

Only 1 conference allows them to control their own Tier 3 rights and to start their own network.......the Big 12.

 

[beevomav]

ND will be forced, kicking and screaming, to a conference. The new powers won't give them a automatic free pass into the playoff. It is going to be heavily weighted toward the Super Conferences.

I hope they stay independent and play in the Condom Bowl. That would be f##king priceless.

 

[bbdude]

ND will be forced, kicking and screaming, to a conference. The new powers won't give them a automatic free pass into the playoff. It is going to be heavily weighted toward the Super Conferences.
I hope they stay independent and play in the Condom Bowl. That would be f##king priceless.

I would take them in the Big XII in a heartbeat. Can you imagine every other year in Southbend? I was there in 1995 when we played them and it was a blast. They served us Lone Star beer and we partied 'till the sun came up every night. Them joining a conference would be great.

 

[irishfred]

ND will be forced, kicking and screaming, to a conference. The new powers won't give them a automatic free pass into the playoff. It is going to be heavily weighted toward the Super Conferences.

You're right about one thing - we'll be kicking and screaming. You see, conference championships do not mean jack to ND fans. If there's anything that I do not want to see, it's Notre Dame playing for a worthless conference championship. We play for National Championships - always have, and always will. Nobody gives a crap who won whatever conference in whatever year.

The only way that ND will join a conference is if there is not a way for an undefeated ND team to make it to the big game. That's it.

Now... would the BIG 12 agree to give ND a way in if we agreed to play OU, UT, plus one more Big 12 member every year? You could keep your conference $$ from the games, as long as we keep NBC? You can have the Longhorn Network as well - we don't care - it does not threaten us at all. Just let us play 3 from the Big 12 - plus our USC and Michigan every darn year.

I think that UT would love that scenerio - as ND and UT are compatible and similar in a lot of ways.

We keep our national footprint and the rivalry games that are a century old, and you get a member that is truly not afraid to sit with you at the table and will not run away if you make a little bit of money and get a television deal.

It gets interesting when you play that angle. There's a reason Dodds and Jack are pretty good pals.

 

[bbdude]

My favorite ND alum has joined the discussion and has given the Pol-Pot response. I think the alums want to maintain the independence but I can guarantee you that a significant majority of FANS (that didn't attend ND) could care less as long as they can watch them on NBC on Saturdays.