COLLEGE FOOTBALL Notre Dame considers joining league

Although the Irish have talked with the ACC, they may want to join the Big Ten.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
CHICAGO -- Notre Dame floated a trial balloon Thursday about surrendering its football independence and sources say its intended target is the Big Ten.
Notre Dame spurned the Big Ten in 1999 after lengthy negotiations because it didn't want to give up its independent status in football as it has in other sports as part of the Big East.
But the changing landscape in college athletics apparently has forced the school to re-evaluate its stance.
This time though, sources say, the Big Ten isn't likely to court the Irish; Notre Dame would have to initiate talks.
The Big Ten would not confirm when, or even if, talks with the Irish have occurred.
"As of right now the Big Ten is not proactive in respect to expansion," associate director of communications Scott Chipman said.
Commissioner Jim Delaney was not available for comment.
According to a story in Thursday's USA Today, Notre Dame has inquired about full membership in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
But several sources familiar with the situation say the ACC, which recently expanded from nine teams to 12, is wary an Irish overture could be an indirect Notre Dame attempt to re-open Big Ten talks.
Conference issues
Notre Dame would not confirm talks had taken place with either conference.
The Big Ten expanded from 10 to 11 members in 1990 when it added Penn State.
Adding a 12th member would allow the Big Ten to stage a football conference championship game, a potentially lucrative source of revenue.
Only conferences with at least 12 teams can have a championship game in football.
Why would the Irish even consider joining a conference, especially given their football television contract with NBC and the special status afforded them in the Bowl Championship Series?
The current NBC contract and the current BCS agreement expire after the 2005 season. When the BCS contract was hammered out in the late 1990s, Notre Dame was included with the six major football conferences.
Formal talks for the next BCS contract have not begun, but it is unclear if the Irish again will be afforded that privilege.
Nor is it clear how lucrative the next NBC contract would be for the Irish.