December 18, 2009
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Notre Dame Won't Join Big Ten
CHN Staff Report
Notre Dame has said publicly that it is not interested in joining the Big Ten, allaying the fears of those who believe doing so would cause a negative chain reaction in college hockey.
The Big Ten recently announced it was at least investigating the possibility of adding a 12th team. It added Penn State as the 11th school in 1990, and Notre Dame declined an invitation to join in 1999.
Notre Dame is one of three major independent football schools — the others being Navy and Army. It participates in the Big East in all other sports except hockey, which is in the CCHA.
Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick told the "Chicago Tribune" that Notre Dame is not interested in joining the Big Ten.
Notre Dame football gets $9 million per year in television rights to have all their games broadcast nationally, the only school to have such a guarantee. Big Ten schools get $20 million annually in various rights fees, but Swarbrick told the Tribune that the football program "considers factors other than revenue."
Of course, Notre Dame could still play in a Big Ten Hockey Conference, should one exist, just as it plays in the Big East now in basketball.
