Will Notre Dame and Miami renew their heated rivalry of the '80's?
Notre Dame football has not been the money maker it used to be. Their lack of quality bowls and the team’s poor performance this past decade has negatively impacted their NBC ratings and viewing audiences. The school is also taking a financial hit as former coaches Ty Willingham and Charlie Weis are still on the payroll per their buyout agreements.
In order to cure this financial downfall and to boost the school’s potential to make more money, the AD is looking to play more high profile games. Rather than scheduling the typical sub-par teams (i.e., Tulsa, Western Michigan, Army), the Irish are considering renewing their heated rivalry with Miami as soon as the 2012 season. To add a game of this magnitude will certainly increase their ratings, but more importantly, generate much needed money and better exposure.
In 2010, we are going to see some great out of conference games early in the season. Miami and Ohio State match-up and Penn State and Alabama face off in week 2. Both of these games will be huge draws early in the season and will generate huge financial returns prompting other schools to consider adding top rated teams to their schedules.
Unfortunately, the purity of college football dissipates with the lure of the dollar. ND is trying hard to stay independent, but the way conferences generate money, ND would be living in fantasy land if they didn’t entertain offers from the Big 10 or Big East (a conference the school is already associated with in every other sport).
I commend ND for staying true to its form, but the reality is, playing schools like Miami is not the same as being part of a powerhouse conference.
