You'll note the article makes the common mistake claiming ND maintains its football independence because of the NBC contract. That is wrong. The NBC contract enables ND to maintain its independence.
Link: http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/notre-dame/2017/05/16/swarbrick-notre-dame-football-not-joining-acc-full-time/326356001/
Me, December 7, 2012 - a day that will live in infamy.
ACC: "ND you are going to join in football!!"
ND (in response): "F you ACC"
End of discussion
Because, the ACC and its teams realize their conference was saved and it's teams were enhanced as brands because of their association with the ND brand. Remember this...Dabo's very open criticism of the ND deal...Clemson's ascendency as an elite contender since the ND deal...Dabo's complete silence on the topic since his initial remarks.
With the break-up of the old Big East, Notre Dame had two major concerns: finding a big-time home for all their sports besides football and having access to premier bowls for the football team. Those were the two levers that I felt at the time would drive ND into full membership into the Big10. If the ACC had not thrown Notre Dame this lifeline, I believe that ND would be in the Big10 today. Since the ND and ACC agreement has been extended through 2037, what possible carrot or stick could the ACC have to pressure ND into bringing their football team into the conference?
There is only one stick left that could force ND into full conference membership. That stick is legitimate access to the playoffs. As of today, Notre Dame has that access. A 12-0 ND team is almost assured of being picked and a 11-1 ND team has a good chance to be chosen. However, if the playoff rules are ever adjusted to favor conference champions to the extent that ND is forever precluded from being chosen, then you will see the ND football team in the ACC.
Could the playoff rules be so adjusted? Perhaps, as there has been a lot of complaints from some in the Power-5 conferences that Penn State was the Big10 champion, yet was passed over by the selection committee for Ohio State. I can definitely see the committee being told that extra weight must be given to conference champions.
I can not believe the coverage this bogus story, based on a speculation tweet by Tim Brando, is getting. There is absolutely no substance to this story. I for one, do not care if ND joins a conference or not. I can see advantages for full conference membership and can also see the downside. However, any decision to join will be solely Notre Dame's and not any outside forces compelling them to join.
There were only 2 reasons that could have forced Notre Dame's hand into full conference membership. One reason was finding a home for all their sports teams in a premier conference. The 2nd was quality Bowl access for the football team. The deal that Swarbrick struck with the ACC took care of both of those concerns.
The article seems to be about why UConn would be a great ACC member if an affiliate like ND became a full member. Think the two points you raise make this unlikely to be a "serious" talk if there is dialog going on at all. My initial thought about FB signing on to the ACC has to do with money. Given ND puts its sports (mostly FB) "profits" in the general fund and a major source of those revenues is the NBC contract would have put a bit more credence in the article if how that would work if the ACC gets its own TV deal. If I wanted to speculate like the author I would say "there are talks involving NBC, the ACC and ND about a TV package that would like is beneficial for ND to sign on as a full member." Humorously if there were everyone would deny it or say we talk to a lot of people about a lot of things. Bottom line to ND think is they will only be come a full member of any conference if the "profit" expectation is higher than any alternative and, learning from the Big 10 debacle, the whole university esp the faculty agree this is good for the institution.
The only sport not in some kind of conference is football.
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Could be real or zillionith iteration of decades- old saga. Just sub ACC for Big Ten. This article was on a UC site. UC very eager for ACC affiliation and could be they realize no expansion if no ND. If ND were in, would ACC modify league game requirement to allow more than 3 non-conference games?
Over time I and other domers have weighed in with ND officials and Board and seen a lot of accommodation by them as to our strong feelings about independence. Are we beyond that point now?
For years I have told people that eventually the top 64 or so D-1s will will break away from NCAA in football and form a new association. There will be no conferences or divisions. Massive TV contract. A la carte scheduling, giving more flex for rivalries and top matchups. 11 regular season games. An 8 team playoff beginning in late November and culminating on New Year's Day and everybody gets a bowl game.
This would be a panacea for ND and the elite. It could be Saavy Jack's and ND's end-game.
If there are 64 teams, I can see no permanent conferences or divisions, but what about different ones every year? Eight 8-team conferences, play 7 games within your own conference and 4 non-conference games against another designated one (or two each against two other ones). It would be more like the NFL but we could crown a truer champion this way.
The change of teams in each division every year would be completely unique to American sports but, I think, very cool.