Last week, Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua claimed the ACC did “permanent damage” to its business relationship with the school during the final month of the college football regular season.
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“We were mystified by the actions of the conference to attack their biggest, really, partner in football and a member of their conference in 24 of our other sports,” Bevacqua said on the “The Dan Patrick Show” last week. “They have certainly done permanent damage to the relationship between the conference and Notre Dame.”
During his news conference, Bevacqua suggested an apology from the ACC would not be enough to fix the relationship. Emails from the conference were accidentally sent to the Fighting Irish about the ACC’s plans to promote its football teams over Notre Dame.
Notre Dame expected to leave the ACC
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Pete Sampson of The Athletic believes the relationship for ND and the ACC is headed for a divorce, though the timing of the split is not yet known.
“For those who see the social media campaign by the league to promote Miami over Notre Dame as a flashpoint in this dispute, the ACC and the Irish were growing apart before that,” Sampson wrote. “Barring an unlikely reconciliation, it’s hard to see Notre Dame and the ACC sticking together for the long haul.
“This entire relationship feels like an inevitable divorce, with the biggest questions being when it happens and how much it costs.”
Another obstacle for ND is finding a new partner.
Would the Irish be able to sign a friendly deal with the SEC or Big Ten like they have with the ACC that allows them to remain independent in football while playing in-conference for 24 other sports?
Would ND have to join the SEC or Big Ten a full-time member in football?
Or maybe the Irish will push college football toward a super league, where the sport needs to go.
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