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Four reasons Notre Dame football should remain independent

By Ben Belden

Sep 26, 2015; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish players huddle up as a team before the game against the Massachusetts Minutemen at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2015; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish players huddle up as a team before the game against the Massachusetts Minutemen at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Many have called for Notre Dame football to join a conference. See why remaining independent is in their best interest.

With the creation of the new ACC Network, many have speculated that Notre Dame’s football program will dash tradition and finally join a conference. As part of a new contract with ESPN, the ACC Network hopes to launch a digital component in 2016. Though Notre Dame’s contract with NBC doesn’t run out until 2025, many believe the assurance of extra revenue created by the ACC Network will play a part in Notre Dame’s decision to join a conference.

However, many of those who believe it to be in the Irish’s best interest to join a conference fail to understand just how good the Irish have it as an independent. Notre Dame has plenty of reasons to remain independent:

1. Financially, Notre Dame does just fine without the help of a conference. 

According to Forbes, Notre Dame was college football’s second-ranked team in terms of overall worth in 2015, second only to Texas. Furthermore, Notre Dame was said to make in the ballpark of $54 million in profit for the 2014 season. Although the creation of an ACC Network will produce more revenue, it’s clear that Notre Dame does just fine in that area without the help of a conference.

2. Notre Dame has NBC completely to itself.

Speaking of television, it should be noted that Notre Dame is the lone college program that plays on NBC. Having a television station to itself, Notre Dame has a great deal of control over what is broadcast. A home broadcast for the Irish has highlights of multiple traditions that take place around campus on game days. Because of this, potential recruits can get a good sense of Notre Dame and its campus without leaving their living rooms.

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Lastly, the assurance of playing multiple nationally-televised games is a big selling factor for recruits. What recruit doesn’t want the ability for his friends and family to watch him on a weekly basis?

3. Notre Dame’s independence allows them to play a national schedule, which is good for recruiting. 

Each year, Notre Dame gets to play in the state of California when the team travels to either Stanford or the USC the last week of the season. In addition, the Irish traditionally play a Shamrock Series game on a neutral field, which allows them the opportunity to play in places they normally don’t visit. This year, the Irish make a trip to San Antonio, Texas to play Army. Lastly, when the Irish play an “away” game against Navy, it is played on a neutral field, as well. This year, the Irish will travel to Jacksonville, Florida, to face the Midshipmen.

November 28, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Will Fuller catches a pass and runs for a touchdown ahead of Stanford Cardinal cornerback Terrence Alexander (11) during the first half at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
November 28, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Will Fuller catches a pass and runs for a touchdown ahead of Stanford Cardinal cornerback Terrence Alexander (11) during the first half at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

With an eight-game conference schedule, the Irish would have to fit Stanford, USC, Navy, and a Shamrock series opponent on a neutral field in the remaining four weeks. If the Irish were to join a conference, their emphasis would be winning the conference championship. Scheduling the aforementioned opponents in off weeks from conference play would make Notre Dame’s schedule nearly unbearable, not to mention that those teams all have conference obligations, too, which could lead to scheduling conflicts.

Notre Dame’s national schedule allows the Irish to play all over the country, which is great for the Irish in terms of exposure. Notre Dame is a national brand. Largely due to their national schedule, the Irish are one of the most-watched college football teams in the country.

4. Likely expansion in the College Football Playoff makes Notre Dame a prime candidate for postseason play.

Many argue that the playoff committee’s emphasis on winning a conference championship game is itself enough to make the Irish join a conference. However, there has already been pressure to increase the playoff field, which would make winning a conference championship less of a prerequisite. Should the playoff committee move to expand, it is almost certain that teams who win their conference championship would be a shoe-in most years.

Next: Notre Dame football is still the biggest draw of them all

In a scenario that includes five power conferences and eight playoff spots, Notre Dame would be a prime candidate for one of the remaining “at-large” spots in good years.

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