NBC Sports defends Notre Dame after College Football Playoff snub

After being snubbed from the College Football Playoff, Notre Dame has found itself reevaluating its allies.

But as if there was any question, NBC Sports remains in full support of the Fighting Irish, with the division’s president speaking out against some of the backlash the program has faced in recent days.

“Having our Notre Dame and Big Ten partnerships has been a great combination for us of tier-one college football,” NBC Sports president Rick Cordella told Puck’s John Ourand. “We’ve had this property for well over 30 years, and it was a premier property back then and it still is today. The conversations we’re having right now across America about Notre Dame not being in the CFP—that’s because it’s Notre Dame. That same conversation would not happen with any other team.”

Reading between the lines, Cordella’s comments appear to be in reference to the criticism Notre Dame has faced due to its status as an independent. While not being in a conference has obvious business benefits in South Bend — including the Fighting Irish’s standalone media rights deal with NBC — it also left Notre Dame without a powerful entity like the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 or ACC to back its bid for the College Football Playoff.

But according to Cordella, such conversations are only happening because of the spotlight that the Fighting Irish attracts — the same spotlight that allows them to maintain their independent status. And based on what the executive has seen from a business standpoint, the trade off of not being in a conference remains well worth it for Notre Dame.

“We know that brand advertisers want to be associated with the Notre Dame brand,” he said. “They pay a premium in order to do so versus other college football teams. We still look at Notre Dame as being a much higher premium property than many other properties.”

Suffice it to say, Notre Dame likely views NBC as a better business partner than the ACC, which the Fighting Irish are a member of in 24 non-football sports. On multiple occasions this week, Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua has criticized the conference for lobbying for Miami to make the 12-team CFP field over the Fighting Irish, who have since declined an invitation to appear in a postseason bowl game.

For now, Notre Dame remains a part of the ACC, with the football program maintaining a scheduling agreement with the conference. As for its partnership with NBC, the Fighting Irish’s current media rights deal with the network runs through the 2029 season.