I think the next phase will include the networks kicking teams out of the bloated conferences that do not bring them monetary value. If conferences are written in a way they can't kick teams out, they will just force teams to leave and for new conferences. This wont happen until some time in the next decade though.

Notre Dame needs the ACC to fall to join another conference. They are reportedly legally barred from joining another conference until 2036 just like FSU. So, wait until FSU wins in court.

Of course ND doesn't want to move. The ACC gives them the greatest deal in college sports. Go make your own money and we will take care of all the non-revenue sports for you and the only tradeoff is playing 5 games a year in football against ACC teams.

ND wouldn’t have to solicit Saudi investment to leave the ACC. It’s not at all the same.

They’re staying independent out of principle, until such time those principles change.

I didn't say it was the same. I said they were locked in until the ACC failed. That's just a fact.

I’m sorry. When you said it was just like FSU, I thought you meant it the same as FSU. Classic mixup.

Also, FSU isn’t locked in. They can buy their media rights back from the ACC. They just don’t have the money to do so.

They are legally barred from joining another conference until 2036 just like FSU. They would have to break the contract just like FSU.

The ACC owns the tv rights of FSU until 2036. They own the tv rights of Notre Dame if they join another conference until 2036 and own every non-football sport and a few contractually obligated road games in the conference.

This is like saying that the Bears aren't locked into Justin Fields next year. They just have to pay his complete salary next year to get out of it.

They’re not legally barred. They can live up to the terms of the contract by paying money, but they’re a bit strapped right now. It’s why they’re trying to find outside investment.

Kind of, yes. A contractual buyout gives player & team (or school & conference) the ability to do something different that you contend is illegal.

This makes no sense. I don't mean they will go to jail if they join another conference. They are legally barred from going to another conference without paying the full value of the contract they have with the ACC. It's like how Elon Musk was legally barred from getting out of the deal with Twitter. Technically, he could have given them $44 billion and then not have taken control of Twitter.

Which brings us back to the initial point…

ND is not just like FSU in that they have the wherewithal to do the thing FSU would like to do, yet they choose not to do it.

Both are in the same situation. They would have to pay a massive amount of money, possibly equal to 100% of the expected revenue until 2036. FSU is looking at how to do that. ND is not currently look at how to do that.

Well, I'm not sure Notre Dame could truly afford the buyout at least in a way that made financial sense. It could be up to $500 million as it isn't a true buyout and it is literally just the money they would make from 13 more seasons of being a member of the ACC.

A lot depends on the NBC contract. They can't do much for 2 years anyways given that.

Yikes. At this rate Notre Dame is going to owe a hypothetical billion dollars to make a decision they don’t want to make.

FSU would be the same. $120 million is the buyout. $500 million is the GoR unless they can beat it in court or work out a settlement.

If it was $120 million alone FSU would be in the Big Ten or SEC today.

Notre Dame hasn’t granted football rights to the ACC.

Notre Dame is part of the GoR. It's only relevant if they join another conference though.

For some football games too. It probably would be less than $500 million since they are only obligated to 5 games a year I think. It's still a massive number.

Not correct. They agree to play ACC teams. That’s not the same thing as granting media rights.

There’s no grant of football rights.

Everything I read says they are part of the GoR in some capacity. It only rally triggers if they join another conference though.

They are required to play 5 ACC teams a year. Road games are not televised by NBC. That's a limited GoR.

That’s obviously wrong.

It’s like saying the big ten has granted its rights to NBC because Ohio State will play ND on NBC this year.

Did the Big Ten mandate that OSU play that game?

The Big Ten will televise the OSU home game. OSU can't put it on ESPN.