Notre Dame, Big East agree to series of football games
By Mathew Keller
FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, May 28, 2005

Notre Dame and the Big East have agreed to a series of games starting in 2009.

The Irish, a member of the Big East in all sports except football, will play three Big East teams each football season on a home-and-home basis. All eight conference teams will face the Irish.

The news, hinted at for months, came after Big East meetings in Ponte Vedra, Fla., where Notre Dame athletic director Kevin White first confirmed the games.

"We told (Big East Commissioner) Mike Tranghese not to expect us to become members if we did this," said Notre Dame associate athletic director John Heisler. "But the Big East has been a very beneficial relationship for us, and Mike T. encouraged us to do what we could, specifically if we would consider the prospect of making more of a commitment."

Pitt had already signed Notre Dame to an eight-game deal from 2006-2015, in addition to this year's season opener at Heinz Field.

The Panthers' games will count towards Notre Dame's three games each year.

Notre Dame did not ask for a two-for-one deal, Heisler said. Notre Dame will play one of the three Big East teams on a yearly basis -- expected to be Rutgers or Connecticut -- at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, reportedly for recruiting and alumni purposes.

"We have every reason to want the Big East to work," Heisler said. "It was the most attractive and might have been the only option for us to remain independent in football. So if we can do anything to help, why not do it?"

Pitt athletic director Jeff Long said the Panthers were also negotiating with and expected to sign contracts to play several Big Ten schools. Because of Notre Dame and other schools, Long said, the window of opportunity is closing quickly for a series with Penn State.

Pitt did have four of its five non-conference games for 2006 scheduled. Long previously said the Panthers will play Bowling Green, Toledo and Michigan State, all at home.

Heisler and West Virginia Deputy Director of Athletics Mike Parsons said that their respective schools have yet to sign any Big East-Notre Dame contracts, but that talks were in the works.

WVU is expected to play Notre Dame within the first two years of the deal, in 2009 or 2010.

The Big East-Notre Dame deal comes on the heels of the conference's lawsuit settlement with the ACC following the move of Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College.

The ACC paid the Big East $5 million to cover legal costs and agreed to play nine interconference games between 2008 and '12. Pitt will play in three of those; WVU two.

Staff writer Rob Biertempfel contributed to this story.

<a href='http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/s_338723.html' target='_blank'>Pittsburgh Post Gazette on Notre Dame and the Big East</a>