Notre Dame isn't in the ACC (or any football conference) primarily due to
money and autonomy, thanks to its lucrative, long-standing exclusive TV deal with NBC, allowing them to keep all revenue instead of sharing it, plus retaining control over their national schedule and avoiding mandatory conference championship games, making independence more profitable and flexible than joining.
Key Reasons for Independence:
- The NBC Deal (Money):
- Exclusive Revenue: Since 1991, Notre Dame has had a deal with NBC for all home football games, keeping the substantial revenue instead of splitting it with a conference.
- Generational Wealth: This deal provides immense financial security, with recent extensions through 2029, giving them a massive advantage over conference members who share payouts.
- Autonomy & Control (Flexibility):
- Scheduling Freedom: Independence allows Notre Dame to maintain classic rivalries (USC, Stanford, Navy) and schedule high-profile games nationally, something difficult within a conference.
- No Conference Games: They avoid playing extra, conference-mandated games (like a conference championship) and keep all CFP/bowl money directly.
- Brand Power:
- Notre Dame is a massive national brand; they don't need a conference for exposure or revenue, as the money flows to them directly through NBC.
The ACC & Potential Joining:
- While the ACC offers some benefits (like access to conference revenue and playoff spots), Notre Dame's unique setup with NBC and their desire for schedule control outweighs joining for most fans and university decision-makers. They've even negotiated for partial ACC membership for other sports, but football remains independent.
In short, Notre Dame has found that being independent in football, fueled by their NBC deal, offers more financial upside and strategic freedom than joining a conference like the ACC.
Someone once told me ND is Americas Team - Bulls***!
