Looks like no news... for another year.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/col...6764.story

That means more speculation... for another year.

(04-20-2010 10:05 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  Looks like no news... for another year.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/col...6764.story

That means more speculation... for another year.

Ugh...

Everyone trying to assure the other ones that nothing going to happen when it damn well is going to happen.

Notre Dame called the Big Ten's bluff. That was the Big Ten target.

(04-20-2010 10:11 PM)WacoBearcat Wrote:  Notre Dame called the Big Ten's bluff. That was the Big Ten target.

That's what I think, too. I still think they do something, just maybe not as fast as everyone would like.

If thats the case, doesn't that run into problems with upcoming TV contracts for multiple conferences?

Also, BE should take the extended time as a second chance to be proactive, even if its our AD and the other 3 left behinds putting together a package to present to Marinatto and the 4 being courted.....I'd also include ND in this in a manner that would still give ND independence yet playing conference football.

Proactive. That would be a switch.

(04-20-2010 10:05 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  Looks like no news... for another year.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/col...6764.story

That means more speculation... for another year.

It may just be that they informed a certain someone of intentions and that someone had some legal issues that the Big Ten decided they would have to wait awhile to deal with.

So what exactly will be the point of today's Press Conference? Just to say the same thing that was in that article. This doesn't add up IMO.

I said 2 or 3 days ago that none of these rumors came from the big 10. They have no need to rush. They have every need to get it right. The only one who really needs it to go fast is the leftover BE schools, and the B10 could care less about them. As for the BE being proactive, that aint gonna happen. Only 2 things they could do, split now and add 1 to 3 new members, or add a FB only to help their recruiting now. Being the added schools couldn't start for 2 years, none of those choices helps today. So the best choice is simply to stand pat and hope the B10 does nothing or adds only a B12 school.

(04-21-2010 06:34 AM)animus Wrote:  So what exactly will be the point of today's Press Conference? Just to say the same thing that was in that article. This doesn't add up IMO.

Most likely it is to cool the fevered pitch of speculation and restore some semblance of a carefully deliberated move rather than a free for all.

I just think the media got ahead of the B10 presidents, but I do think it's odd that Delany announced the presser after the Sunday meeting, so he could say that they are still considering expansion, but no real details? Odd, guess we'll have to wait and see what he actually says.

---- This PM was sent on Sunday. ND and Comcast cannot make commitments until Congress/FCC approves merger -- for them to make assumptive commitments now could only serve to tick off Al Franken, etc. who are hardlining this merger.

All this may be Premature...
To:

WASHINGTON, April 17 (UPI) -- Deadlines on the proposed merger between Comcast and NBC Universal have been pushed back by a request from U.S. regulators for more information.

The Federal Communications Commission asked Comcast to provide more background on the predicted economic benefits of the deal, The Hollywood Reporter said. The FCC also wants more information on the effect on distribution of videos on line (such as streaming sports content not only over the Internet but on an iPhone - and which college has its own iPhone pay app which can stream video - not just your schedule and school fight song).

The FCC had set May 3 as the deadline for comment on Comcast's bid to acquire 51 percent of NBC. The agency has stopped the clock.

"We look forward to working with the commission to submit the additional information they've requested," Comcast said in a statement Friday. "We know they want to conduct a thorough and expeditious review of this transaction and we'll be submitting these reports as soon as possible. We understand and agree in this case with the commission's desire to have a full comment period on key documents submitted by the applicants.

.... the thing everyone is forgetting is that Notre Dame(and more importantly ComcastNBC who possess their media rights)cannot do anything until FCC/Congress rule on ComcastNBC merger.

Comcast is the primary distributor of the Big 10 network - even the Big 10 acknowledges that the moment at which the BTN took off and started making money was when BTN and Comcast could finally reach agreement on distribution.
NBC, who owns the ND media rights, is being bought by Comcast...

Why would the Big 10, who publicly and privately acknowledge ND is option #1, force ND/Comcast's hand when their "hands are tied" up in Congressional hearings and they cannot do anything? They, and the Pac 10, do not want ComcastNBC/Versus to participate in a bidding war with ESPN and CBS/Turner (since media money is what is driving this expansion discussion) for college sports contracts? This accelerated timetable does not make sense as it is not in anyone's best interests. Comcast has publicly stated that it is their intent to compete with ESPN for sports programming and the NBC(and Ebersol) acquisition is a big part of it...

Nothing reasonably is going to happen until ComcastNBC (Notre Dame) can actually negotiate and they cannot presume FCC approval yet.

Excellent post. Thanks for the info. That could explain a lot about what's happened in the past few days.