Notre Dame football needs to distance itself from Tennessee's 'talent fee' idea
There are some big changes coming to Notre Dame football very shortly. It’s a safe bet that leadership is brainstorming just how they want to take on issues like the upcoming revenue-sharing agreement.
However, when they start brainstorming, one idea the Fighting Irish bigwigs should stay away from is the one that Tennessee announced earlier this week. This new announcement is less about dealing with NIL and more about dealing directly with the school having to pay players.
The problem is that the biggest part of the plan, the part that Notre Dame football should stay away from, is raising the prices of tickets by offering a “talent fee.” In reality, this is more like a “fan fee.” As In, if you want to continue to be a fan, and attend games, you’re going to pay some more money on top of the ticket price.
According to Knox News, the increase isn’t a small one either. The feel will introduce an average of 14.5 percent price increase of tickets at Neyland Stadium in 2025. That includes an Initial average growth of 4.5 percent per seat on single-game tickets and season tickets plus donations.
Notre Dame football needs to stay away from Tennessee’s approach
An additional 10 percent increase per seat on all single-game tickets and season tickets plus donations as a “talent fee” to fund the revenue-sharing pool for athletes coming as early as 2025.
This despite the fact that Danny White makes more than $2 million per year. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel makes $9 million per year. And yet, when the school has to pay the players, the school is still asking the fans to pay more.
For now, Tennessee is the only school to announce a move like this. But there will be other programs who think along the same lines. Notre Dame football needs to find other ways to do it, and they need to find tem before 2025.
The reality of the situation is a tough one. Leadership in South Bend will need to come up with solutions. But laying the extra cost off on Notre Dame football fans will only be met with anger.