That's the beauty of independence - Notre Dame's allegiance is to Notre Dame - period. When schools pledge allegiance to conferences instead of their own missions, conference interest takes precedence. Conferences exist to maximize media value and power, so decisions about realignment, scheduling, and access are driven by inventory and leverage instead of rivalries, geography, or tradition. Notre Dame’s loyalty is to Notre Dame and we don't hide from or apologize for that. Conference loyalty undermines the broader sport. Schools are pressured to chase conference payouts, tolerate incoherent coast‑to‑coast leagues, and surrender control over who they play and when.