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It says something that this warranted it's own thread, but no one disputed the idea that this arrangement could come to pass. I'm simply among those that fail to see such grand value in the deal.
Again, ND vs Navy will not be a BE game so that doesn't truly help the conference. ND playing BE opponents in "neutral" stadiums is only a marginal benefit, if that. Nice payout but arguably the game conditions will favor ND. Tough to sell that to recruits.
ND is reaffirming their interest in the northeast in a manner that allows them to circumvent the need to offer home and home arrangments. It's ingenious for them, really, as they might play have as few as 3 true road games within a 12 game season. But this doesn't add to the BE coffers while at the same time precludes the BE schools from seeking other options.
Hats off to ND. No other conference would've given them this deal.
Gunner, I felt that this warranted its own thread because it is specifically about Notre Dame & while there has been a lot of discussion about Notre Dame on the other thread, it is supposed to be about ranking BE expansion candidates. I won't take issue with whether or not this is good for the Big East. And you're right, no other conference would have given ND its current arrangement, although ND certainly has been scheduling multiple teams from other conferences, i.e. Big Ten & Pac Ten.
Let me just say that there is something good about this for the Big East. ND is committing to play BE on a neutral site right in the heart of BE country. This is not a true road game for ND, but it's not a home game either. It also gives BE a guaranteed sell-out, featuring one of their teams in the media capital of the country. That has to be good for BE. It's also good for college football in the Northeast in general. To bring in a high profile game that will bring out fans & capture people's imaginations is a good thing for the region, which hasn't taken to college football in the past 50 years the way other parts of the country have. It will be an annual event that will get tremendous media play in New York.
It's important to note that the Big East is a football conference in its infancy. It doesn't go back a century like the Big Ten. It doesn't even go back half a century like the ACC. The old Southern Conference formed & reformed a few timesin spawning the SEC & later the ACC. The Big 8 formed out of the old Missouri Valley Conference, & now we have the Big XII. The Big east is going through these same kinds of growning pains.
In going through growing pains, BE may have to make some deals that more established conferences can turn up their nose to. Specifically regarding Notre Dame, they have achieved something significant. These negotians have clearly been both complex & complicated. However, while it's been said here that BE should give BE an ultimatum, this shows something short of that, but it shows that BE has been tenacious & persitent. It may only be half a loaf, but it could lead to more down the road.
I thought that there were several significant points made in the article:
The article reports that "Nd is making plans to play AT LEAST 3 BE teams per season." It sounds ND is leaving the door open for more to come.
Heisler said that ND views this arrangement as "part of being a good partner." TS2 has been saying this for some time. He was right; I was wrong. This is significant because ND has never publicly taken this position before. It shows movement & any movement toward BE is good for them.
Heisler says "the Big East has been interested in having us make more of a concrete commitment." See my comments above, but basically this shows that there has been pressure & ND is willing to respond. Something is going on here.
TS2 has been claiming that this arrangement would come about & it turna out that he was right.
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