USA today Article on furure ND Football Schedules

[TyBull]

Irish look ahead by looking into past

By Malcolm Moran, USA TODAY

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Notre Dame officials are planning to reinforce a long-term commitment to the school's independent football status with a dramatic strategic link to the Rockne era.

Anticipating an NCAA decision in April that would make a 12th regular-season game permanent, Notre Dame intends to schedule a game each season in different parts of the country at sites the Irish hope will be anything but neutral.

The plan, the result of a two-year study, is expected to take effect in 2009. The Fighting Irish will increase the number of games at Notre Dame Stadium from the current six to seven, and four games will take place on the road.

For a 12th game each year, athletics director Kevin White said, the school is considering cities such as Chicago, Orlando, Jacksonville, New Orleans and Dallas. The Irish would negotiate terms that would include games, perhaps in prime time, in its agreement with NBC.

"It will be like a mini bowl game," White told USA TODAY. "We're going to take our football program around the country in ways that we haven't done."

The idea has roots in the 1920s, when coach Knute Rockne took his team, known as the Ramblers, from coast to coast.

John Heisler, a senior associate athletics director whose responsibilities include scheduling, said the school has not contacted potential opponents or representatives of sites. White said the initiative has been viewed favorably within the school administration because of its boost to recruiting and the way it could provide alumni and fans greater access to tickets.

White said an agreement to play at least three Big East teams a season would let the Irish play annually at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. They have played there 11 times, including a 27-9 win against Navy in 2004.

A 10-year extension of an agreement with fellow independent Navy, an annual Irish opponent since 1927, will include a game in Dublin, Ireland, where the programs met in 1996.

After considering a football involvement with several conferences the last six years, White said Notre Dame would celebrate its football independence rather than feeling resigned to it.

"If you think of yourself as an independent and you allow yourself to become regionalized," White said, "that doesn't make sense. We need to be a little entrepreneurial."

[TyBull]

For a 12th game each year, athletics director Kevin White said, the school is considering cities such as Chicago, Orlando, Jacksonville, New Orleans and Dallas. The Irish would negotiate terms that would include games, perhaps in prime time, in its agreement with NBC.

Let me get this straight:

1) ND wants to play 3 BE games a year

2) Play games in specific regions

3) USF is in the BE

4) Orlando is one mentioned city

5) USF v ND in Orlando

WOW! I am getting a headache!

POSSIBLE? Yes

Probable? No

That would be the best.....   8)

[Bull94]

Why is ND so high and mighty? They've done nothing in 25 years. Why don't they join the BE as a 1/2 football member? All they need to do is add a 4th game. Maybe we could get Army to take the other 4. I say the league gives them an ultimatum. Join as a 1/2 member or leave the league in all other sports. mini bowl game?? How arrogant. Quit living in the past.

[bullpen1]

25 years is pushing it.  Yes, they are 17 years removed from their last National Championship, but no matter what people say and how good they are, they are still the most popular College Football Team in the country and will fill a stadium where ever they go.  They don't want a confernece to split their money with, and I don't blame them for that.

[RJWGoBulls]

ND Playing Navy in Dublin...that would be worth me going to.  Closest the NCAA football will get to England!!

[Papa_Bull]

They might not want a conference to split their money with in football, but they NEED a conference to play all their OTHER sports.

If the Big East didn't have them as a member for their other sports they'd have a very difficut time finding ANY major conference to accept them as a partial member.

[Bull94]

I agree Howie. Time to force the issue. The basketball money is good enough for them to split. Why not the football? Let them go play all other sports in the ASUN. See how they like playing in high school gyms. The BE bends over backwards for them and I believe they need the NBE more for all other sports than we need them for football(although it wouldn't hurt us much!!). They could easily work out a situation where they wouldn't give up any of their NBC TV money. I'm sure they could come up with a compromise on the bowl revenues. How hard could it be to add one more BE football game??

[bulls96go]

get army navy airforce to take other 5 games

cusa 4 games a year, sunbelt and mac 4 games a year

2-3 games aganist bcs teams

1 game against  d1aa

not a bad 11-12 game schedule

[Bullshiznitz]

Screw ND, we get Miami the next two years. Quit funny that this high and mighty team has had a worse program over the past five years than such illustreous programs as Utah, Oregon State and Louisville.  The Big East needs to give them an ultimatum. In or Out.

[GarySJ]

If the BE tells ND to say in or out, they'll say out, and then the Big East can kiss its bowl tie-ins goodbye. Unless you really think the Gator Bowl is paying $5 million to have the #2 choice of Louisville, Syracuse, and West Virginia.