Notre Dame is the single most valuable independent football property when it comes to it’s media rights. Last year, the university received $22 million for those rights and it wants a raise. John Skipper, the former president of ESPN, joined The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz and discussed where that raise should come from.
Skipper started by saying that the ideal setup for the massive payouts is almost complete. He says the ideal payout structure would begin with four, 16-team conferences. He noted that the SEC and Big Ten are there. He then added that the Pac-12 and Big 12 will have to formulate some configuration to get to 16-teams and the ACC, which is already partially in bed with Notre Dame, needs two teams to get there.
That’s when Skipper said that whatever the ACC is doing, it’s main goal should be to convince Notre Dame to abandon its independence and join the ACC for the money.
“Personally, I would tell them I will figure out how to pay you $80 million a year not to be independent,” said Skipper. “If I was at the ACC, I would be maniacally focused, though it would be hard.”
Skipper also knows that Notre Dame has leverage and it would take a lot to get them to abandon their independence but everyone else may have to force their hand.
“(Notre Dame) Athletic Director (Jack) Swarbrick, very bright guy, done a very good job, doesn’t think he has to make a move,” began Skipper. “But here’s what I’m telling you should happen: four conferences, sixteen teams. New college playoff system: the top four teams from the top four conferences go. Sixteen teams. That is where you then turn to Notre Dame and go ‘you don’t want to be in that? It’s okay but you’re not going to be in that’.”
With the conference realignment landscape fluidity at a fever pitch, the one big piece coveted by all is the Notre Dame piece. Last week it was reported that Notre Dame knows this, sees the media rights business booming, and has reached out to NBC to ask for $75 million to continue their partnership with the network.
