"We have monitored the changing conference landscape
for many months and have concluded that moving to the ACC is the best course of
action for us," said Jack Swarbrick, Notre Dame vice president and
director of athletics, in a statement released by the conference. "We are
able to maintain our historic independence in football, join in the ACC's
non-BCS bowl package, and provide a new and extremely competitive home for our
other sports."
The ACC does not offer hockey, so it is presumed that Notre
Dame will go through with its planned move to Hockey East in that sport.
The Irish will join the ACC as soon as it can exit the Big
East. The Big East currently requires members to provide 27 months notice to
exit although West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Syracuse were able to leave earlier
by paying a higher exit fee.
Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey texted ESPN.com's Andy
Katz, saying "we're going," and adding that while no timetable has
been established for the move, he is excited for the challenge.
Notre Dame joins Syracuse and Pittsburgh in bolting the Big
East for the ACC. In February, the conference announced divisions for a 14-team
basketball league, but it will now have to accomodate a 15th team.
"The ACC was founded on the cornerstones of balancing
academics, athletics and integrity," said ACC commissioner John Swofford
in the statement. " Our partnership with Notre Dame only strengthens this
long-standing commitment."
The commitment to five ACC games in football will likely
mean some changes for the Irish's football schedule. They already play ACC
team's Boston College and Wake Forest and have renewed their rivalry with Miami
this season. Pittsburgh is on the schedule this season as a Big East team but
is moving to the ACC.
USC, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and Stanford have been schedule mainstays recently. Navy, Notre Dame's opponent in Dublin, Ireland, this year, is a traditional game.
USC, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and Stanford have been schedule mainstays recently. Navy, Notre Dame's opponent in Dublin, Ireland, this year, is a traditional game.
Along with inviting Notre Dame, the ACC also says it has
increased its exit fees for the conference's schools to three times the annual
operation budget -- which would currently come to more than $50 million.
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