Comments on: Swarbrick is Angering Me. Jack, Stop Being Weak.

By: Mark Makers

Mark Makers — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:15:14 +0000

It behooves Mr. Swabrick to make NBC think a loss of the ND contract is imminent. He would be a fool not to and I don’t think Mr. Swarbrick is a fool. Joining the big 10+1 may happen for all the reasons discussed, but the rhetoric will get even scarier before the decision is fianlized. In the end, I don’t think we’re joining. Jack is probably just making lemonade.

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By: The Biscuit

The Biscuit — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:48:16 +0000

I agree Ska – patience and measured steps. Swarbrick’s statements are the exact opposite of that. John, ND was #2 last year behind Texas.

I appreciate the good debate here, and I’ve definitely been on a rant. But, that’s what I do.

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By: Ska

Ska — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:11:02 +0000

Biscuit, normally you ask for patience/common sense, as in new coach, decency as in idiot/angry internet ND/coach haters, etc.
This is one of those times to take a deep breath, say a few prayers that all turns out well for ND. And this may drag on for years.
The major conferences have $ in their eyes and the $ is tattooed on some of their ADs foreheads. The financial pressures at tax supported schools and gifts to private schools has to be intense. Notre Dame is a single entity and has to compete for media revenue. Can it do it alone is the question. It may be like an individual standing up to a gang or several different gangs in a fight.
Is ND a great university/brand? Can it be improved? Absolutely. Can we stand alone against several mega-conferences? That might be extremely tough. Especially when it comes to media revenue and scheduling. It may be that staying independent turns out to be very lucrative and the right path. I hope so. But the mop flops both ways.
Swarbrick is in a high stakes poker game with with a number of all for me universities and conferences. Some well known for cheating and forgetting about the student part of athletics. These mega-conferences will do everything they can to toss ND under the bus as an independent.
ND is much better as a national school agreed, but it is already in the Big East in all its other sports.
Lets say the B11 decides to increase to 16. The SEC, P10 and other major conferences will do 16 or 20, not to be out done. The Big East and some other conferences will probably not survive. BEast is tops in Basketball but not so in football, where the real money is.
We may see a lot of changes and consolidation in leagues. Should ND stay independent? That would be fantastic. It comes down to what is best for ND.

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By: Pat

Pat — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:32:30 +0000

Yeah, Swarbrick could have merely answered a question with a bit more candor that he should have. And now they are doing a bit of damage control, albeit poorly.

You’re absolutely right — the current revenue streams, in the current environment, are completely viable. Swarbrick was not only responding to what he sees as the currently unstable CFB environment, but also to the ‘what if’ scenario, that being conference expansion by one or more major conferences. Under the latter scenario, and perhaps even under the current trend, he foresees the possibility where independence is not the best option. If the different, for example, is between 15 and 20 mil, I’m not sure how 5 mil, let’s say to academics, is anything to shake a stick at.

Fair point about institutional control, but I’m not sure to what extent conference affiliation has on administrative issues, if it’s a lot or next to nothing at all.

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By: John '07

John '07 — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:09:22 +0000

I’m pretty sure that ND football brings in either the most, or second most money in college football. I seem to recall a magazine (Forbe’s?) that does a calculation of all the money that a school’s football team generates (tickets, tv, merchandise, ect.) and ND is always in the top 3. I will try to find the article. Anyway, if I am recalling this correctly, then ND already makes more than 99% of other football programs and joining a conference to make more money makes no sense.

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By: The Biscuit

The Biscuit — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:38:49 +0000

But their release said specifically that it wasn’t planned – it was ‘all an accident’. So it was an accidental, earnest response? Just seems like there’s something screwy going on dont you think? And my point is the same I had with Weis – just keep your trap shut a bit. there’s no need to say these things, even if they’re true. Why reveal your hand if you have one? It just makes no sense to me. I hate the message, and I really dont get why he’s putting it out there in the first place.

And our revenue streams right now are way more than viable. I dont think it’s realistic to think that it’s conference or unviable revenue stream. We’ve done just fine on our own, and if we’re leaders and innovative and push for our brand and make it better, we’d be even better off on our own. I agree it’s important to make money, but how much do we really need? To me, we dont need to have 20 million a year instead of 15 if it means joining a conference.

And yes, partners. If you think that the only place that OSU and UM interact is on the football field, you’re not getting how conferences work. If we were to join, UM would have some kind of sway over very institutional things. because the conference members vote, and we’d be 1 (a hated 1 at that) vote against 13 or 15 others. We’d be voting on things WITH/AGAINST Michigan. We’d be in partnership with them on any number of issues. The institutions would be joined in a formal partnership that would be the Big 16-even or 12-even or whatever they’d call it. And that makes me want to puke.

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By: Pat

Pat — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:30:40 +0000

To what end? Good question; I don’t know. I am merely suggesting he was answering questions earnestly. He might now be regretting his remarks considering all the coverage they have received.

It’s a fair point that ‘the MOST money’ shouldn’t necessarily be the primary goal. But a continuing viable revenue stream doesn’t automatically equate to greed either. There are two sports, football and men’s basketball, that pay for the entire athletic department, and likely much more. Maintaining the ability to do that is important and even good, too. Also, staying viable is a matter of staying competitive — in all sports and endeavors.

Lastly: “Partners with…Michigan.” Yeah, the same way Ohio State and Michigan are ‘partners.’ Come on.

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By: The Biscuit

The Biscuit — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:14:49 +0000

And I get that money is important, but is having the MOST money important? I mean, ND makes $ hand over fist from football right now (ever had a hot dog on game day?) – why do we have to make the MOST? I would be fine with making really good, solid money like to day and remaining Indie, over making the MOST and being partners with Eff-ing Michigan.

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By: The Biscuit

The Biscuit — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:13:15 +0000

Okay, but why be candid about it? To what purpose?

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By: Pat

Pat — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:56:51 +0000

Right, ‘most money’ and ‘best interests’ aren’t necessarily compatible. I mean, they aren’t going to mortgage the Dome just to make a buck. But where does money rank in order of importance? It’s up there, for sure.

I think Swarbrick was just being candid about what he sees as an already very fragile college football world in which a big move by a major conference, a la Big Ten conference expansion, would totally change the landscape to the point that affiliation would suddenly look a lot more lucrative, yes, for money reason, but also competitive reasons.

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