ESPN should compete with NBC for Notre Dame TV rights, but will it matter?
The possibility that Notre Dame will join the Big Ten invites the accompanying possibility that USC-Notre Dame will be a conference game each year.
It is a natural point of interest for USC fans to wonder if Notre Dame will join the Big Ten. Beating Notre Dame would become an even more central and necessary step in making the College Football Playoff and winning the national championship.
As you know, the Big Ten is moving forward with its media rights negotiations. It is on the verge of finalizing deals. They haven’t been secured just yet, but all indications are pointing to an NBC night-game (4:30 p.m. in Los Angeles) deal with the Big Ten. Assuming this NBC-Big Ten deal gets finalized, it would mean that NBC would have both Notre Dame and the Big Ten under its umbrella. Given that reality, why would Notre Dame go to the Big Ten? It would already be in a position to give NBC substantial value and ratings. Its games would be directly before or after NBC’s Big Ten game.
If NBC wants to do everything in its power to secure long-term Notre Dame rights — the current rights deal expiresafter the 2025 season — Notre Dame would be in a position to demand maximum money from NBC.
ESPN could come into the picture and compete with NBC for Notre Dame rights. Given that ESPN is now fully cut off from Big Ten football, it will have more money available to throw at Notre Dame. However, would any of this mean Notre Dame would be more likely to join the Big Ten?
Remember: Independence means Notre Dame doesn’t have to share TV money with anyone. If NBC and ESPN get into a bidding war for Notre Dame football, the Irish obviously have zero incentive to join Fox’s shop in the Big Ten.
We discussed this with Mark Rogers at The Voice of College Football:
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Massive Big Ten media rights development has numerous implications for USC
