Irish Eyeing $75M Annually to Remain Independent

The Fighting Irish are hoping to stay a solo act.

Amid rumors that the school could establish a long-term relationship with a Power 5 conference, Notre Dame is instead looking for a significant bump in its next media deal, according to CBS Sports.

• Notre Dame is reportedly seeking $75 million annually from NBC. 
• The university is currently taking in $22 million per year from the network. The long-term deal averages $15 million per year, but is back-loaded with the more expensive years at the end of the contract.
• The deal expires in 2025.

NBC is seeking rights for Power 5 conference games adjacent to Notre Dame’s on the college football schedule before committing to the school’s target valuation. The Big 12 and Big Ten have both emerged as potential targets for NBC.

The Big Ten also represents an alternate path for Notre Dame. The conference’s next media rights deal could top $1 billion, with $80 million to $100 million distributed to member schools each year.

Merger Muddled

The Big 12 and Pac-12 have reportedly ended talks about a potential merger. A source within the Big 12 told ESPN that a deal didn’t make sense for a number of reasons, including limited new revenue opportunities.

The two conferences discussed pooling media rights, coordinating on scheduling, or combining into a single conference.