Could Notre Dame join the Power 5? How Big 12 expansion and Pac-12 media rights scenario can influence decision

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish continue to be an incredible college football program as they are the biggest independent program in the nation.

Right now, the Fighting Irish receive $22 million per year from their football television deal and they are looking for a substantial increase.

The Fighting Irish wants to change things up as they are reportedly seeking a tripling of their football rights fee to land around $65 million to $75 million. Notably, their current contract expires after the 2024 college football season.

Patrick Crakes, a former Fox Sports executive that is now a media consultant, spoke about how he believes the Fighting Irish are going to get that type of money but it will cost something they love dearly:

"My big-picture thought is that Notre Dame will need a conference to support a three-time bump long term. I think either the Big Ten or SEC would do. Also, don't rule out a third new conference in several years. A lot of assumptions are falling apart as pay-TV-bundle economics go flat." h/t Front Office Sports

Will the Fighting Irish make the jump to a Power Five conference?

Notre Dame could end their independent run

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are going to need to go from an independent college football program to joining a Power Five conference if they want to get close to that dollar figure.

Paying that much for a single independent football program does not have that value for a rights provider.

There are a lot of changes happening as Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua is entering the fray in 2024 and will be succeeding the current AD, Jack Swarbrick.

With a television chairman now taking over for one of the most prestigious college football programs in history, there can be some changes incoming.

After seeing the Big Ten conference's new $7 billion contract, it is obvious why the program wants a significant raise. One possibility is the Pac-12 Conference swaying the Fighting Irish to join them and make them the face of the conference, as they look to replace the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins.

That would significantly increase the rights deal as Notre Dame is a popular and valuable brand to have under their umbrella.

Whatever conference out of the Power Five they end up joining, it seems like the days of the Fighting Irish remaining an independent program are numbered.