Notre Dame and the BCS: The “Notre Dame Rule”

With the implementation of the most recent BCS contract in 2006, Notre Dame no longer gets a full BCS share for a BCS game ($14 million at the time, now $18 million) but settled for $4.5 million, the amount given to a second place team from a conference.

Additionally, for the length of the four-year contract, the Irish would receive a 1/66th share of BCS money as the 66th team in the BCS—about $1.3 million—when they did not go to a BCS game.

For the last two years, here are the BCS conferences' profits and average per team:

ACC

• 2007-08: Profit — $19,263,649, Average/Team - $1.6 Million
• 2008-09: Profit — $18,765,375, Average/Team - $1.56 Million

Big East

• 2007-08: Profit — $14,197,021, Average/Team - $1.77 Million
• 2008-09: Profit — $15,526,656, Average/Team - $1.94 Million

Big Ten

• 2007-08: Profit — $24,394,305, Average/Team - $2.2 Million
• 2008-09: Profit — $23,846,330, Average/Team - $2.17 Million

Big 12

• 2007-08: Profit — $21,706,427, Average/Team - $1.81 Million
• 2008-09: Profit — $22,521,061, Average/Team - $1.88 Million

Pac-10

• 2007-08: Profit — $17,647,012, Average/Team - $1.76 Million
• 2008-09: Profit — $18,766,786, Average/Team - $1.88 Million

SEC

• 2007-08: Profit — $28,991,720, Average/Team - $2.42 Million
• 2008-09: Profit — $28, 362,667, Average/Team - $2.36 Million

(Source: NCAA Financials 2007-08, 2008-09)

Do you see any BCS team taking home $1.3 million—other than ND?

To make the same amount ($14 million in 2005) for a BCS appearance under the old contract, Notre Dame would need to appear in three BCS bowls in the four year contract (3 x $4.5 = $13.5 + $1.3 million for the fourth year = $14.8 million).

With the conference champion’s share increased to $18 million, though, ND would currently need four BCS appearances in four years (4 x $4.5 = $18 million) to equal one year.  The Irish settled for 25 percent of what they used to take for a BCS participation.

Since ND’s BCS appearance revenue has been fixed, the “rising tide lifts all boats” theory applies to all the other BCS teams except ND. The BCS contract with fixed amounts has been an anchor to Notre Dame, while the sea rises around them.

Notre Dame could appear in a national championship game for 25 percent of what its opponent will get for their conference.

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