If the Big10 and PAC12 tie the knot

And the Big 10 and SEC start raiding the ACC

And there’s suddenly just 2 real top level conferences, then the Big10 will 100% start playing hardball with ND.

They will refuse to schedule ND knowing full well ND would never join the SEC.

And at that point Big10 and SEC would be college football meaning ND would be negotiating from pure desperation.

Right now, ND is negotiating from a position of strength.  

They have to move now.

Edited July 27, 20213 yr by Green Goblin

GreenG I disagree with you. ND is in no rush to join a conference. Jack S. said a year ago conferences would consolidate in the future but ND has no plans to join one. ND will always be wanted and the longer they wait their value goes up.

The realigning of conferences will force ND's hand to join 

I say the hell with all those conferences. If some crazy scenario happens where there are just two conferences then Nd should revert back to the good ole days and barn storm every team that’s not in one of those two conferences. Because let’s face it, not every team is going to be able to join those two or three big conferences. Or ND should just lead there own co detente and invite all the cast offs. Hell, even start playing NFL teams in exhibitions. Whatever, be creative in however they want to make money. Because in the end, that’s what it’s going to come down to. Not championships. Money. And just like the good ole days, ND can claim a Natty even if they never played one team in the other conference. Just look at Bama all those years of claiming championships that they didn’t deserve. 
So, screw big conferences!

ND should stay away from a Conference and start a new type of affiliation.  Just create groups with the carriers and belong to a broadcast group.  Take the tv money away from the conference and allow the other independents to join in their negotiations for tv deals. Make the move for  no conferences.  

We shouldn’t be stuck in our ways…. This is one of those moments where we could REALLY f^ck up.

I just don’t think ND needs to “rush” into anything……a diamond will always be a diamond 

It will likely happen in the next 3-5 years as more consolidation happens. Scheduling will become harder as conference adds more in conference games (9 or 10). That will apply more pressure on scheduling and access.

As long as the ACC is still around due to the contract, that runs for another decade, ND will not be forced into a conference. They have the 5 games with the ACC, Stanford, USC (which need ND), and Navy guaranteed every year. ND has all the cards right now and for the foreseeable future. So unless some conference comes with some ridiculous deal (tv rights and money) ND has no need to join a conference for at least a decade if ever.

I think ND will be forced to join in 3-5 years

if Clemson and FSU are really exploring a move to the SEC, I think it will be much faster bc ACC won’t be a cushioned landing spot

First Clemson and FSU have to be accepted into the SEC. There is no guarantee that will happen. They do not bring half the amount of prestige or money that Texas and Oklahoma do.  Even if they were to leave the ACC would still be a great place for ND’s Olympic sports and ND could still play 5 of the teams in football and still have the guarantee of the other games listed before. ND still has no reason to join a conference unless a ridiculous amount of cash is thrown at them or the ACC, Big Ten, and PAC 12 merge.

Edited August 6, 20213 yr by ndfanatic78

It's looking like the writing is on the wall for some kind of change. It probably won't happen for a couple of years. But by then there might be a league of college schools/football teams that is comprised of 40-50 teams with no alliances to conferences anymore. These colleges/football teams are no longer governed by the NCAA. They will form their own league. That's when ND will jump.

I wouldn't bet on it. 

They get 15 million from NBC. They get almost 8 million from the ACC and more than 6 mill from the playoff. 

29 million and retain it's independence which means flexibility so that's only a 2-3 mill deficit to ACC programs who are essentially pigeon-holed into playing a crap uninteresting regional schedule. The ability to play neutral sites, travel coast to coast as they see fit with mid-terms and etc more than make up for a measily 2 mill defecit (compared to ACC teams) for a program like ND with an endowment worth more than 10 billion with a B

I feel like they could lean on NBC for the next deal while these other conferences are ratcheting up their demands for a TV deal and perhaps make more than the average ACC payout.