Conference Realignment

[roadkill]

Maybe the look-in is the perfect time for Notre Dame to join. Negotiations are already happening and I agree that never having a bye in the first round of the CFP has to go into their thinking. They would likely get more TV money than everyone so it would create unbalanced distributions for a period of time, but it would be a net positive for all the other members I think.

This might be how it happens. There is already a precedent for unequal payouts. Also, Stanford is a traditional rival, so only need to come up with two more ACC schools to get to 8 games/season.

ND's contract is through 2029 so that may be another time to make things happen. They are getting slightly more now from NBC than the ACC distribution, but it's close. The problem is the ACC is also paying them about $20M/yr for partial membership.

 

[leatherneckjacket]

I guess this goes here?

FSU says “I never said we were breaking up”

After formal ACC exit notice, Florida State now says 'we never said we wanted to leave'

With no other conference willing to take it, Florida State officials try a new stance in acrimonious lawsuit with ACC.

www.usatoday.com

Why do I get the feeling this guy is FSU's lawyer?

 

[Southern psu fan]

IMO, ND will never join a conference in FB unless they are locked out of the CFP without being in one.
Having the most money has not been an issue for them, having a bye hasn't been an issue yet.
I'll believe ND joining a conference when I see it.

They should’ve done been locked out! I don’t know why the ncaa and the CFP committee kisses their butt. Why all the other teams put up with this crap. Smh I just don’t like ND and I’m Irish lol

 

[JacketOff]

ND not having a first round bye is a total non-issue. I don’t get why people don’t understand that. A conference champion with a first round bye will play 16 games to win the national championship, the same amount Notre Dame would have to play, except Notre Dame has an opportunity to HOST a playoff game. Something a conference champion with a bye will not be able to do. If anything, Notre Dame has an advantage. They also don’t run the risk of losing the conference championship game and being eliminated from playoff contention, or having to play in the first round. Or in Clemson’s case, win the conference and have to play in the first round anyway.

There’s zero incentive for ND to join a conference in this current system.

 

[MtnWasp]

Why do I get the feeling this guy is FSU's lawyer?

View attachment 17433

Is it me or him, It's him, right?

Nathan Thurm

 

[yoshiki2]

ND not having a first round bye is a total non-issue. I don’t get why people don’t understand that. A conference champion with a first round bye will play 16 games to win the national championship, the same amount Notre Dame would have to play, except Notre Dame has an opportunity to HOST a playoff game. Something a conference champion with a bye will not be able to do. If anything, Notre Dame has an advantage. They also don’t run the risk of losing the conference championship game and being eliminated from playoff contention, or having to play in the first round. Or in Clemson’s case, win the conference and have to play in the first round anyway.

There’s zero incentive for ND to join a conference in this current system.

ND should be forced to play an extra game,

 

[Root4GT]

I don't think it will take bign locked out. I think if they lose first round a few times. Or get a critical injury in the first round where beign in a conference would have meant a bye they will consider it.

ND should be forced to play an extra game,

Why? They are playing the same number of games as Tennessee and Indiana?

 

[stinger 1957]

I see the conference championship games ending somewhere in the future and probably a CFP as mentioned of 16 teams.

 

[Root4GT]

I see the conference championship games ending somewhere in the future and probably a CFP as mentioned of 16 teams.

That’s possible but a huge step as they are massively profitable and ESPN does not own them All

 

[orientalnc]

Don't hold your breath on ND joining the ACC full-time. I betcha the bye departs before ND considers a conference.

 

[RonJohn]

Don't hold your breath on ND joining the ACC full-time. I betcha the bye departs before ND considers a conference.

ESPN commentators were all over decrying that conference champions should not get the byes, that it should go to the top 4 teams no matter if they are a champion or not.

 

[g0lftime]

ESPN commentators were all over decrying that conference champions should not get the byes, that it should go to the top 4 teams no matter if they are a champion or not.

Who cares what their commentators say. Just talking heads looking to create a story.

 

[RonJohn]

Who cares what their commentators say. Just talking heads looking to create a story.

I don't care what they think, nor what they say. They don't always say what they personally think. However, it is an indication of the sentiment. The Big10 and SEC are going to lobby to have conference championships not matter to the seeding at all. They are going to lobby to eliminate automatic bids for conference champions. I think some or many of the commentators are only parroting what the Big10 and SEC want them to say in order to manipulate public opinion about it. I don't give any consideration to their opinions nor paid endorsements. I do worry about the influence they affect.

 

[orientalnc]

Clemson and Boise and Arizona State can park that discussion by winning.

 

[GTBatGirl96]

Yes, but
C l.e.m.s.o.........ning

 

[Techwood Relict]

Yes, but
C l.e.m.s.o.........ning

 

[MacDaddy2]

Don't hold your breath on ND joining the ACC full-time. I betcha the bye departs before ND considers a conference.

My thought (and I actually like ND) is that the ACC should force their hand. Join for football or GTFO for all other sports.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

As long as they are independent, they have one chance to get in. As a conference member, they have at least two. But they are too proud to admit this.

 

[RamblinRed]

I doubt the conference championship games go away. Those are really important to the conferences and ESPN. Conferences would lose money if they went away as part of their payouts from the media content providers includes money for those games.

I think the most likely change will be keeping the auto bids for the conference champions - which I think is the right thing to do, but to seed the playoffs based on the final rankings rather than the conference champions automatically getting them. That would be similar to the NCAA Basketball model.

If the playoffs are expanded to 16 teams in 2026 then the bye games would disappear anyways.

 

[billga99]

ND not having a first round bye is a total non-issue. I don’t get why people don’t understand that. A conference champion with a first round bye will play 16 games to win the national championship, the same amount Notre Dame would have to play, except Notre Dame has an opportunity to HOST a playoff game. Something a conference champion with a bye will not be able to do. If anything, Notre Dame has an advantage. They also don’t run the risk of losing the conference championship game and being eliminated from playoff contention, or having to play in the first round. Or in Clemson’s case, win the conference and have to play in the first round anyway.

There’s zero incentive for ND to join a conference in this current system.

There is also very strong talk that after 2025, the seedings will be based on rankings. If they also go to 16 teams, no one will get a bye. If they stay at 12 and rankings are all that matter, being a conference champion gets you into the dance but doesn't necessarily warrant a bye.