Money is not the main thing about independence. ND has left tens of millions of dollars on the table by being independent. Right, that's why I was confused as to why they'd not rush into things unless it was a lot of money?
ND is allowed to maximize its revenues as an independent, whether you like or scoff at the idea or not. We're allowed to do this too, outside of our TV rights. Our TV rights allow us to make a lot more than we would on our own. ND was able to negotiate your own TV rights and it's been pretty amazing until recently. Now you make less.
But, you and other ACC fans are asking ND to jettison independence AND make tens of millions less than it can by doing so. No. We're asking you to join us and make more money together. What if you could join the ACC and make more money than you could on your own and run your FITV? Why is it less?
Hmmm...abandon 132 years of independence for $40 million a year or do so for $80 million a year ?? Yeah, you can throw your lot in with them for the money. That's why I was surprised you'd be for it given our prior conversations?
Tough choice.
Do you realize how dumb that would be for ND to do? (Syracuse wouldn't do it, either, if in ND's position) We jettisoned independence to create a conference that you wanted to play CBB in and was really, really successful until football blew it up. As I've posited before, it might still be here if not for ND's independence.
Do you realize what you are asking ND to do, all to "save" a conference that apparently cannot save itself?? Lol. This makes our position seem weaker than it is.
Abandon independence and lock itself into the lowest possible deal and possibly lock itself out of the top tier of football, all rolled into one...??? Independence means something to you guys but the arguments for it fall flat. It's just nostalgia. "We always did it this way" is weak sauce when there is no substance behind it. I used to get it when it was way more TV $. Did you guys win the conference last year? Have you done what Clemson has done? They managed to do it while in a conference. We're still in the top tier of football. The SEC and B1G have been making for money the whole time Clemson has been at their pinnacle.
That is the absolute worst of both worlds for ND, a dumbass combo deal for Jack Swarbrick to make. Trading a nostalgic mirage for money? Ok.
P.S. How has throwing in with like minded schools benefitted the ACC???? We've negotiated a TV deal that has made the conference and it's members a lot of money. We enjoy seeing the same teams year after year (like playing USC and Navy every year - it had it's charms lol). We have our own network. It's not without it's warts, but generally it beats being UCONN
