Big East Commissioner talks about Notre Dame "ulitmatum"

[Jim Johnson]

"Big East commissioner says there is no discussion of ultimatum to Notre Dame"

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/05/big-east-commissioner-says-there-is-no-talk-of-ultimatum-to-notre-dame/1

---

From the conference leadership's perspective, the Irish have been a good partner to the league and there's very little sentiment about ending that relationship. Marinatto and the Big East are trying to find ways to increase their revenue streams and form strategies for the future, which may include a league-operated cable network. As such, they want to keep Notre Dame around as a member that can provide value in different ways, even if the Irish will never join the conference for football.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post/_/id/9857/john-marinatto-on-the-notre-dame-question

[deathrow95]

While it would be nice, its not going to happen.  ND still packs a big TV punch even without football.  The best we could hope for is some home and away games for all of our conference members.  I'd love to go to a ND  USF  game at Ray J every 4 years.

[slick1ru2]

ND is our opener next season.

[ncentonze]

Hopefully Holtz will take down Kelly in 2011

[Matt]

ND holds way too many cards in this match.  Its like playing texas hold em and dealing one person 15 cards.

They call the shots and will never join a conf for football.  Unless the NCAA stepped in and forced them.

[Guest AstroBull]

They call the shots and will never join a conf for football.  Unless the NCAA stepped in and forced them.

Which will never happen.

[Bullpride08]

ND holds way too many cards in this match.  Its like playing texas hold em and dealing one person 15 cards.

They call the shots and will never join a conf for football.  Unless the NCAA stepped in and forced them.

AND, the Catholic, non-football contingent in the Big East will never force Notre Dame to leave.  ND sits in the cat-bird seat, they don't need a B10 to help their Olympic Sports because they've got the BE, and can keep their football and television revenue separate and still partake in the revenue of the BE.  They are truly in the greatest of positions.

[Apis Bull]

Even if Big East football were to die, Big East basketball (and Olympic sports) would probably survive.

[Bullpride08]

Even if Big East football were to die, Big East basketball (and Olympic sports) would probably survive.

It would Apis because the side that Notre Dame aligns itself with in the Big East, clearly the Catholic non-football schools are the ones that control the name, and direction of the BE.  They could theoretically decide to no longer charter football and still maintain the Big East and losing nothing except for the football revenue-- which they didn't partake in much anyway.  ND is in like three different conferences anyway, they're in another for hockey, and one for fencing I believe.  They're accustom to breaking things up anyway.

[SANJAY]

But a ND/BE network where all ND sports but football was included could still generate enough money to look at.