Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM FEBRUARY 2025 17 "We think the ACC is firing on all cyl- inders right now when you think about the addition of Stanford, Cal and SMU," Bevacqua said. "SMU in their first year had a great showing, certainly in foot- ball and the ACC. "Bringing in universities like Stanford and Cal with their academic pedigrees, we think the conference is in great shape. It's better and stronger with Clemson and Florida State, and we hope it stays that way." For Niele Ivey and the women's bas- ketball team, winning the ACC — which currently has five teams, including the Irish, ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 — matters. Same goes for base- ball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, etc. So long as all of the other ducks are in a row — Notre Dame doesn't need the ACC to be as powerful as the Big Ten or the SEC in football for the Irish to still like what they get out of the membership. NBC DEAL IS IN 'GOOD SHAPE' Next time you're angry a Notre Dame home football game is being streamed exclusively on Peacock and you can't watch it on traditional television — which will happen in, say, September or October of next year — realize the university has a partnership that is truly one of a kind and one that has endured for decades in an era when everything else seemingly falls apart — and fast. "It's so unusual for a relationship be- tween a sports property and a media company to endure for over 30 years," Bevacqua said. "That's a testament to Notre Dame, that's a testament to NBC, a testament to working together, be- cause those types of partnerships only survive if they're mutually beneficial. It's worked. It's worked well." Realize the same platform is there for the Irish for every other home game; you know when the game will be on and you know where to go to watch it. Realize the school is making out mon- etarily in really fine fashion because of its broadcasting partner. Realize NBC isn't going anywhere, and that's a good thing for Notre Dame. IRISH ARE HAPPY TO BE INDEPENDENT Some Notre Dame fans were angry the Fighting Irish were overlooked for No. 5 seed Texas and No. 6 seed Penn State, two power conference teams with two losses apiece, on College Football Playoff selection day. Bevacqua basi- cally admitted to watching the selection show just to make sure Notre Dame was solidly in the top eight. Then he turned it off and got to work preparing to host a playoff game in South Bend. "In this system, with conference changes, with all of the moving pieces, I think the College Football Playoff has been a wonderful success," Bevacqua said. "People say, 'Did you expect to be the fifth, the sixth, the seventh seed?' I am not just saying this, but I really didn't care. I just wanted to host a play- off game." That, along with Bevacqua praising Notre Dame's deals with NBC for broad- casting rights and the ACC for inclusion in every sport other than football and hockey, says everything about how he feels about the football program's con- tinued status as an independent. He absolutely loves it. REVENUE-SHARING ERA WILL BEHOOVE NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL Not only does Notre Dame want the revenue-sharing era in collegiate ath- letics to begin, but the Fighting Irish want to be as competitive as possible on the football front of it. There were worries among Notre Dame fans, being that this is a university that's long been more morally sound than many, then a smaller percentage of revenue would be shared with the football team than at, say, Georgia. Nope. "While we're still in the process of figuring out percentages and dollar amounts, the initial cap, we believe, will be slightly less than $22 million. It'll probably be $20.5 million. There's an automatic 4 percent escalator, then a series of look-in periods. "It's no secret, a large portion of that will be dedicated to football. That's important to us. I think you'll see that across the nation. "Again, we're going to be strategic. We're going to be aggressive. We think that compensation in a smart, strategic way is proper and benefits our student- athletes." Bevacqua will not let the rich get richer. He couldn't stand for that to be the case. Which brings us to the last takeaway … BEVACQUA IS 'MANIACALLY OBSESSED' WITH WINNING A NATIONAL TITLE Bevacqua said his job as Notre Dame's AD is to keep the Irish's "foot on the gas" as it pertains to being competitive in football. "When you think about Marcus' ex- tension, when you think about the as- sistant coaches that we have, when you go outside and you see the Shields Fam- ily Hall emerging from the ground, it is clear that Notre Dame football is a priority, and winning national cham- pionships is a priority," Bevacqua said. "I would tell you — and I said this to Marcus, and we were laughing — we're both kind of maniacally obsessed with winning a national championship and more in football." This is absolutely what you want to hear from your athletics director. He said earlier in the press conference it's in his nature to be as emotional about Notre Dame football games as diehard fans are. He was even spotted on the field at the Sugar Bowl tossing a ball back and forth with members of the Irish coaching staff. ADs have to be able to flip the profes- sional switch and not conduct them- selves based on emotions, but when games are in session and everything is out of their control, it's best for them to be living and dying with every play. It's best for them to be maniacally obsessed. ✦ "When you think about Marcus' extension, when you think about the assistant coaches that we have, when you go outside and you see the Shields Family Hall emerging from the ground, it is clear that Notre Dame football is a priority, and winning national championships is a priority." BEVACQUA