Notre Dame vows to help Big East in football

[Ricky the Bull]

Yep, it's a two-edged sword.  They need 'known' teams so that it will help the TV ratings so they can keep their sweetheart contract but, on the other hand, they need teams they can beat so they can make the bowl games and the dollars that go with it as well as maintain the perception that they are a 'power'.

[Jim Johnson]

Notre Dame's contract with NBC is only for games played @ South Bend... The neutral site game (Giants Stadium) could also go to NBC... but any game @ a Big East opponent would be on the Big East contract station  (ABC? ESPN?)...

Besides, USF will be televised... and Notre Dame draws just about anywhere they play.

I think we will get Notre Dame ... IF there is no further realignment before 2015...

[smazza]

i am sure nd would love to play USF

[GarySJ]

To me, this is like saying "Notre Dame vows to play Big Ten teams in football." It's nothing they haven't been doing. ND has played or will play series with West Virginia, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse this decade. They have a lengthy home-and-away going with Pitt.

Notre Dame has NEVER played UofL, Cincy, UConn, or needless to say USF. If the Irish ever deign to play one of these non-traditional opponents, I might get interested.

[Guest S.  Bien]

Gary,

You should get interested because it has a residual effect on USF.  Say for instance Pitt plays ND on NBC the week before our game, they crush them in South Bend and we walk into that game with a solid record.  Well that's going to bode well for the national interest of the game, it will help our SOS, and if we win more credence will be given to the victory.

ND has not played three BE teams in a season on consecutive years.  Check their schedule, they've done it before but not consecutively, and not guaranteeing a conference to do it in perpetuity.  Is it a bit of fools gold?  Well sure, ND's placating us a bit, but it is helping us.  Instead of say Pitt, or Cuse begging the big wigs for a game every year they can count on a nationally televised contest against ND.  That gives them some latitude on negotiations with other BCS opponents.  For example they don't have to beg UT or Miami for a contest, they've already got ND, and then they can scatter in a few well-healed mid-level opponents and maybe have one other open date for another named BCS program.  This helps us residually in a big way.

As for the contention that they'll never play USF.  I don't necessarily agree with that contention.  Remember, ND will never play a 1-AA opponent, and the only non-BCS opponents they will play are BYU and the service academies.  However, ND wants to soften it's schedule a bit, and as we all already know when ND comes calling you take the game, and whatever they're offering.  Now I don't think ND will promise to come waltzing down to Tampa anytime soon, particularly if our program picks up steam, or gains some momentum, but I could see them negotiating a game in NYC, or at ND stadium for other considerations.  However in all likelihood they will stick with Pitt, Cuse, WVU, and UL, while possibly trickling in Cinci (a good regional contest for them), and Rutgers.

[GarySJ]

You should get interested because it has a residual effect on USF.  Say for instance Pitt plays ND on NBC the week before our game, they crush them in South Bend and we walk into that game with a solid record.

Uh... Bien... that pretty much happened in 2004. It was  a couple weeks before that Pitt crushed ND, and USF didn't exactly have a solid record, and we all know about the 11 AM thing, but I remain to be convinced about any "residual effect" from simply playing a team that played Notre Dame.

As for the contention that they'll never play USF.  I don't necessarily agree with that contention.  Remember, ND will never play a 1-AA opponent, and the only non-BCS opponents they will play are BYU and the service academies.

You're not up on your ND future schedules. Both Nevada and San Diego State are in the mix. Apparently all you have to do is get a date in South Bend is change a game time to accomodate ND's desire to be on television. Go here for the details.

I could see them negotiating a game in NYC, or at ND stadium for other considerations.  However in all likelihood they will stick with Pitt, Cuse, WVU, and UL, while possibly trickling in Cinci (a good regional contest for them), and Rutgers.

Oh, they'd probably play us in South Bend for a paycheck and no return date. Big whoop. We can get the same from any major SEC/Big Ten/Big XII team -- most of whom are bigger on the national scene than ND these days.

Like I said, call me when the Irish book a home-and-away deal with someone other than the teams they're already playing.

[Papa_Bull]

Notre Dame, Big East agree to series of football games

By Mathew Keller

FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Saturday, May 28, 2005

Notre Dame and the Big East have agreed to a series of games starting in 2009.

The Irish, a member of the Big East in all sports except football, will play three Big East teams each football season on a home-and-home basis. All eight conference teams will face the Irish.

The news, hinted at for months, came after Big East meetings in Ponte Vedra, Fla., where Notre Dame athletic director Kevin White first confirmed the games.

"We told (Big East Commissioner) Mike Tranghese not to expect us to become members if we did this," said Notre Dame associate athletic director John Heisler. "But the Big East has been a very beneficial relationship for us, and Mike T. encouraged us to do what we could, specifically if we would consider the prospect of making more of a commitment."

Pitt had already signed Notre Dame to an eight-game deal from 2006-2015, in addition to this year's season opener at Heinz Field.

The Panthers' games will count towards Notre Dame's three games each year.

Notre Dame did not ask for a two-for-one deal, Heisler said. Notre Dame will play one of the three Big East teams on a yearly basis -- expected to be Rutgers or Connecticut -- at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, reportedly for recruiting and alumni purposes.

"We have every reason to want the Big East to work," Heisler said. "It was the most attractive and might have been the only option for us to remain independent in football. So if we can do anything to help, why not do it?"

Pitt athletic director Jeff Long said the Panthers were also negotiating with and expected to sign contracts to play several Big Ten schools. Because of Notre Dame and other schools, Long said, the window of opportunity is closing quickly for a series with Penn State.

Pitt did have four of its five non-conference games for 2006 scheduled. Long previously said the Panthers will play Bowling Green, Toledo and Michigan State, all at home.

Heisler and West Virginia Deputy Director of Athletics Mike Parsons said that their respective schools have yet to sign any Big East-Notre Dame contracts, but that talks were in the works.

WVU is expected to play Notre Dame within the first two years of the deal, in 2009 or 2010.

The Big East-Notre Dame deal comes on the heels of the conference's lawsuit settlement with the ACC following the move of Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College.

The ACC paid the Big East $5 million to cover legal costs and agreed to play nine interconference games between 2008 and '12. Pitt will play in three of those; WVU two.

Staff writer Rob Biertempfel contributed to this story.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/s_338723.html