Notre Dame Athletic Director Criticizes ACC’s Support for Miami

Notre Dame’s athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, expressed frustration regarding the ACC’s promotional efforts favoring Miami over his program during a recent College Football Playoff (CFP) campaign. In an interview with Dan Patrick on Monday, Bevacqua described the situation as “embarrassing” for Notre Dame, claiming that the ACC’s actions have inflicted “permanent damage” to the university’s relationship with the conference.

He stated, “We’re perplexed by the conference’s choice to target our primary football partner and its members in 24 additional sports.” Bevacqua emphasized that the campaign not only raised eyebrows but seemed unjust since the conference was criticizing Notre Dame rather than Miami, which, he noted, has every right to promote itself.

Later in the day, ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips addressed Bevacqua’s remarks. He acknowledged Notre Dame as an invaluable member of the ACC, expressing respect and gratitude for the institution. Phillips pointed out that the conference has a duty to advocate for all 17 of its football teams, supporting the recent efforts made prior to the CFP selections.

Phillips also clarified that the ACC never suggested Notre Dame was unworthy of inclusion in the CFP, recognizing the disappointment felt by the Fighting Irish’s players, coaches, and program. Though Notre Dame operates independently in football, it competes against several ACC teams each year and is a full member in numerous other sports.

In light of the situation, there’s a growing sentiment within media circles calling for Notre Dame to join the ACC fully, especially since the university was passed over by the CFP. Meanwhile, past independent teams like BYU haven’t seen the same advantages after joining conferences, which adds complexity to Notre Dame’s situation. It’s noteworthy that six teams in this year’s CFP didn’t win their respective conferences.

If Notre Dame opts to leverage its partial affiliation with the ACC, it might find an exit route through an anti-defamation clause in its contract. The ACC could potentially be seen as violating this clause, particularly following its decision to broadcast the Notre Dame-Miami game extensively on the ACC Network leading up to the crucial CFP vote, along with social media promotions that appeared to favor Miami.

Furthermore, the financial implications are significant, as the buyout for being a partial member is far less than that of a full membership. Bevacqua labeled the existing relationship with the ACC as “permanently damaged,” although he hasn’t yet indicated plans to withdraw from the conference in football or other sports.