When it comes to the blue and gold, NBC is enduringly loyal. The network has agreed to a new five year deal with The University of Notre Dame to televise the college football games from the venerable college team, even though the Fighting Irish have not been a winning powerhouse for the past few years. In fact, the Irish have been getting its butt kicked by the likes of USC, Michigan, Ohio State and the entire SEC regularly of late. Nevertheless, when it comes to Nielsen ratings, pleasing the advertisers and making the legion of Notre Dame fans happy, NBC steps up.
The new five-year agreement will give NBC the rights to televise all Irish home games through 2015. That's seven from Notre Dame Stadium and an extra home game not from the ND Stadium to air in primetime.
NBC paid $45 million for the previous five-year deal with Notre Dame; the terms of this deal have yet to be disclosed. NBC and Notre Dame have been broadcast partners since 1991.
"We are absolutely thrilled to be continuing our landmark agreement with Notre Dame, the most storied brand in college sports," said Dick Ebersol, NBC Sports chairman. "This new deal, which will bring us to 25 years as partners."
I'm as nostalgic as the next person, but this deal is not about history. It's about dollars and cents. NBC makes money broadcasting Irish football. Even though the school's record last season was 3-9, hope springs eternal that head coach Charlie Weis, once the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots Super Bowl winning teams, will work that kind of championship magic for Notre Dame.
Pat Haden and Tom Hammond will be in the booth for NBC, with Haden as analyst and Hammond doing the play by play.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-20-2008 @ 3:08PM
EbonyDad said...
I just don't get it. The team has been losing yet NBC signs another contract with them.
Would it be any other team, they would have not renewed.
Just don't see why the NCAA force ND to join a conference if they want to be televised.
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6-20-2008 @ 3:23PM
Mike said...
And the legacy continues. One of the most overrated (and recently, flat out worst) teams in college football stays with the (major) network with the absolute worst college football coverage. A match made in heaven.
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6-20-2008 @ 3:24PM
Mike said...
And the legacy continues. One of the most overrated (and recently, flat out worst) teams in college football stays with the (major) network with the absolute worst college football coverage. A match made in heaven.
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6-20-2008 @ 3:50PM
starky22 said...
This just gives me one more reason to change the channel. NBC has been making poor programming decisions for years. Why should anything change?
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6-20-2008 @ 4:09PM
bsgfan2003 said...
It's all about ratings. Lots of people tune in to see Our Lady win, and haters tune in hoping for a loss.
For me it's always been God, Country, Notre Dame.
Go Irish!
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6-20-2008 @ 6:25PM
Alvaro said...
Not another Notre Dame lover. Notre Dame is Overrated every single year, they havent won a bowl game since what 94? why? b/c there put in bowl games they have no business being in. The media always ranks them high so they can be BCS eligible. Join a freaking conference (although I must say they schedule some tough games). NBC has no credibility being so bias in college football by just airing ND home games, PATHETIC.
Im just waiting for them to dare to schedule FSU AGAIN!!
ND FIGHTING IRISH... OVERATED UNIVERSITY!!!
GO NOLES!!
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9-06-2008 @ 5:42PM
Nathan said...
Maybe you should learn to spell and use proper grammer first if you're going to badmouth the Irish. It's they're, not there....and oveRRated, not overated...BIASED, not bias. Maybe you should have gone to ND then you would understand these simple concepts. GO IRISH!!!!
6-20-2008 @ 6:43PM
Jimmy said...
SNL spoofs NBC's Notre Dame deal:
http://ballhype.com/video/notre_dame_parody/
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6-20-2008 @ 6:45PM
Jimmy said...
SNL spoofs NBC's Notre Dame deal:
http://ballhype.com/video/notre_dame_parody/
Reply
6-20-2008 @ 6:46PM
Jimmy said...
Sorry for the double-post; didn't know the first one had gone through.
6-20-2008 @ 8:55PM
Jake said...
One of the untold sinister secrets of the deal is that the proceeds go to academic scholarships for students! (oh the horror!) And for being the supposedly worst team in college football there are certainly a lot of posts bashing ND and NBC. No big surprise. Notre Dame is like the Yankees. You either love 'em or hate 'em.
Calls to join a conference also betray people's ignorance of the game of College Football. Conferences exist because most teams can't stand on their own and need power in numbers to get televised. Conferences guarantee that crappy schools with no tradition get on the air once or twice a year. Notre Dame doesn't need a conference because they have such a huge following and national fan base that even when they do suck, and indeed haven't won a bowl game since 1994, they are still one of the most popular teams in college football, if not the most popular.
The fact also is that if NBC ditched the ND contract, ABC, CBS, FOX and others would be salivating at the chance to get the broadcasting rights. That's partly why NBC keeps the contract. Currently ND's ratings during their longest slump between national titles is as good and sometimes better than college teams that are contending for the title and have terrific records. And when Notre Dame is good, their ratings dwarf those of other teams.
So keep on hating and ranting. I'll take ND's accolades of 11 national titles, 7 Heismans and the most college hall of famers and All-Americans, however long ago they were achieved, over rooting for teams that are best blips on the map. That and I like that ND is my alma mater so I don't even have to shop some crappy local team.
PS. for the haters that say ND won't win again, It took Michigan 41 years to win another title, Ohio State 35, Oklahoma 15. LSU took 45 years between their first and second title, and USC about 23 years. Alabama is on year 16 and FSU is on year 9 (and it will only grow). ND is currently on year 20, its longest such drought. Sports is cyclical. The Celtics just ended their 26 year drought.
PPS. I memory serves you can point to ND's 2002 victory over FSU in Tallahassee as the start of the deline of FSU from their top five finishes. How did FSU do last year with all the big coaching changes?
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6-21-2008 @ 1:36PM
Alvaro said...
Tehy did better than ND. They were 7-6 again another dissapointing season for all Noles fans suspensions and other off tehe field stuff left a sour taste after the year.
We still won AT BC
and beat Bama
And I hope we will begin our steps toward greatness again, the schedule is way easier this year (last years was ridicoulous)
BTW The Celtics ended a 22 year drought and theyre here to stay. 17 baby!!
Notre Dame continues to be overrated by the media is jusgt ridicoluos and yes it is because they create ratings. Youre right ND is the Yankees of college FB you either hate them or ove them. I hate them and I have this discussions all the time with ND alums (Im guessing your one aswell).
Nice to see Tv Squad has some Passionate SPorts fans.
GO NOLES!!
By the way how the hell can I reply to a comment I have no idea how to do it.
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6-21-2008 @ 2:04PM
Jake said...
FSU is going to turn into Penn St if they don't force Bowden in retirement. He's out of touch. But believe me, I don't have any problems seeing the Creminoles fade from football.
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6-23-2008 @ 12:19PM
Cam said...
Maybe it's a smart move for NBC...more people may enjoy watching them SUCK than enjoy watching them succeed
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9-06-2008 @ 5:42PM
Nathan said...
Maybe you should learn to spell and use proper grammer first if you're going to badmouth the Irish. It's they're, not there....and oveRRated, not overated. Maybe you should have gone to ND then you would understand these simple concepts. GO IRISH!!!!
Reply