Should Notre Dame be in the ACC permanently?

[-jk]

SB Nation routinely polls members (what used to be called FanPulse, now called Reacts; there’s an old post describing it on the main page).

This week, they asked if Notre Dame should stay in the ACC permanently.

The results were an overwhelming Yes!, other than ND themselves (based on affiliation listed within SBN). Overall, and by affiliations:

Nat_ND.jpg ACC_ND.jpg

B1G_ND.jpg ND_ND.jpg

-jk

[throatybeard]

The problem is their historical football rivalries. You can't play a nine-game ACC schedule (much less ten) and all of USC, Navy, Stanford (these are the non-negotiables, right?) Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue. And Army. Michigan already comes and goes as it is. Boston College is in the ACC...but you can't play everyone inside the conference every year either. I'd expect their fans to resist full-ACC as long as possible, and I can't say I blame them.

Of course, just about everyone except Notre Dame has has to capitulate to scarificing historical rivalries on the megaconference altar, whether it's West Virginia-everybody, Mizzou-everybody, A&M-Texas, Nebraska-Oklahoma, Georgia-Clemson, Penn State-Pittsburgh, the list goes on and on and on. Maybe one day Our Lady of Northern Indiana will find out she's not quite as special as she fancies herself.

[mattman91]

The problem is their historical football rivalries. You can't play a nine-game ACC schedule (much less ten) and all of USC, Navy, Stanford (these are the non-negotiables, right?) Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue. And Army. Michigan already comes and goes as it is. Boston College is in the ACC...but you can't play everyone inside the conference every year either. I'd expect their fans to resist full-ACC as long as possible, and I can't say I blame them.

Of course, just about everyone except Notre Dame has has to capitulate to scarificing historical rivalries on the megaconference altar, whether it's West Virginia-everybody, Mizzou-everybody, A&M-Texas, Nebraska-Oklahoma, Georgia-Clemson, Penn State-Pittsburgh, the list goes on and on and on. Maybe one day Our Lady of Northern Indiana will find out she's not quite as special as she fancies herself.

I always thought they the NBC deal was the main reason they remain independent.

[Acymetric]

I always thought they the NBC deal was the main reason they remain independent.

That's why the administrators want to remain independent. The fans want to remain independent for the tradition.

[budwom]

I always thought they the NBC deal was the main reason they remain independent.

The best info I could find (I'm lazy) is that the current NBC contract is for $15 million/year, and it runs thru the 2025 season. However, terms were not announced (in the ESPN article I found).

I wonder if that contract specifies what opponents ND has to play...I can see that some of their rivalries are more attractive than others (e.g. USC, Michigan).

So it's not clear if ND could somehow maintain that contract and still join the ACC, and if they did, how much revenue would they have to share from it? I doubt NBC would want to replace a Michigan game with one vs Wake, but who knows?

[devildeac]

I always thought they the NBC deal was the main reason they remain independent.

Hey, wait a minute, this is neither the Ymm, Beer or Ymm, Firearms thread. What are you doing here?

[OldPhiKap]

Hey, wait a minute, this is neither the Ymm, Beer or Ymm, Firearms thread. What are you doing here?

My bad, I told him about the sports threads.

[mattman91]

Hey, wait a minute, this is neither the Ymm, Beer or Ymm, Firearms thread. What are you doing here?

Dammit!

*I was never here*

[devildeac]

Dammit!

*I was never here*

#definitelynotmattman91; amirite?

[throatybeard]

I have to wonder whether present-day Notre Dame still has the pull to extend the NBC contract next time at terms anywhere near as favorable. And whether anyone, even the SEC, will be able to do similar, post-COVID.

[Son of Jarhead]

Jarhead always said he thought Navy would be a good fit for the ACC. It would seem more likely that ND would opt for permanent full (including Football) membership in the ACC if, ostensibly to keep at an even number of teams, added Navy as #16. Thoughts???*

*I'll try sharing any with my dad, aka. Jarhead, next time I speak to him.

[devildeac]

Jarhead always said he thought Navy would be a good fit for the ACC. It would seem more likely that ND would opt for permanent full (including Football) membership in the ACC if, ostensibly to keep at an even number of teams, added Navy as #16. Thoughts???*

*I'll try sharing any with my dad, aka. Jarhead, next time I speak to him.

Please also share the fact that we've missed him and you at tailgates the last few years.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Jarhead always said he thought Navy would be a good fit for the ACC. It would seem more likely that ND would opt for permanent full (including Football) membership in the ACC if, ostensibly to keep at an even number of teams, added Navy as #16. Thoughts???*

*I'll try sharing any with my dad, aka. Jarhead, next time I speak to him.

For football, Navy would fit fine. For basketball, and likely most other sports, they would be constant cellar dwellers.

[Bob Green]

Jarhead always said he thought Navy would be a good fit for the ACC. It would seem more likely that ND would opt for permanent full (including Football) membership in the ACC if, ostensibly to keep at an even number of teams, added Navy as #16. Thoughts???*

*I'll try sharing any with my dad, aka. Jarhead, next time I speak to him.

I am 100 percent in favor of Navy to the ACC. That’s a fantastic idea.

[devildeac]

I am 100 percent in favor of Navy to the ACC. That’s a fantastic idea.

Why am I not surprised?

[jimsumner]

I'd trade Louisville for West Virginia. Or Cincinnati. Or a player to be named later, to be honest about it.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I'd trade Louisville for West Virginia. Or Cincinnati. Or a player to be named later, to be honest about it.

Xavier?

[Bay Area Duke Fan]

Xavier?

Does Xavier have a football team?

Seems like a Jesuit university that plays big time basketball fits better in the Big East.

[duke2x]

Does Xavier have a football team? Seems like a Jesuit university that plays big time basketball fits better in the Big East.

They did and considered bringing it back recently. You might remember them from We Are Marshall--Marshall won 15-13.

I think the ND to the ACC argument is premature. With the likely cancellation or postponement of football season, major changes in the P5 and NCAA structure could be imminent. When the Big 12 got permission to have a conference championship game without divisions, the necessity and utility of divisions ended.

"Contracts are made to be breached, renegotiated, and generate billable hours, the latter being the most important." --Anonymous lawyer

[jimsumner]

Xavier?

As long as Duke could play them in football every year.