Many ACC Apocalypse theories depend on the league losing FSU, Clemson, AND Notre Dame... but why would the Irish leave when they have everything they want now, PLUS a measure of independence?
Notre Dame TV Deal:
Notre Dame and Comcast NBCUniversal announced a new TV deal running through 2029. Notre Dame is expected to receive around $50 million per year from NBC, in addition to the $17 million it receives from the ACC. Notre Dame's total compensation is slightly less than what members of the Big Ten would receive.
50M from NBC
17M from ACC ( ACCN plus pro rata from ESPN TV deal)
13M from CFP ( starting in 2026)
____________
80M Total
Source:
https://www.ndsmcobserver.com/article/20...rough-2029
Why this matters to ACC school fans
The alleged "break-up" of the ACC is supposed to be caused by the loss of its top tv ratings generators: Florida State, then Clemson, then Notre Dame. Without those to shore up the tv numbers, the theory goes, ESPN will not renew the ACC's contract past 2027, which will cause the rest of the conference to go seeking revenue elsewhere.
However, what if the Irish intend to stick around? The money will be the same for them as it would be in the Big Ten, and they get to remain pseudo-independent (at least they control 7 games/year).
Now ESPN must decide not only if the ACC is worth it (hint: it is), but also do they want to drive Notre Dame away and into the waiting arms of the Big Ten and Fox? That changes the calculus.