But if NBC can pay them close to the SEC/ Big ten $$ then they have no reason to jump into a conf. This is ONLY about money. If ND has a distinct money disadvantage by remaining independent they might make a jump. But the ACC tv deal is so terrible that we can hardly coax them into the ACC. I understand that football drives the boat, but how is basketball so worthless. I went and looked up the top ten viewed reg season games for football and basketball to put it into perspective. This starts to make some more sense, in my head I had pictured the Duke / UNC basketball game to be a huge event, at least in the same stratosphere as OSU/ Mich football, but it is 2.6 mil vs 17 mil viewers. Interesting numbers below Here are the top 10 reg season football games. Michigan–Ohio State (FOX) 17.1 million Tennessee–Georgia (CBS) 13.1 million Alabama-Tennessee (CBS) 11.6 million LSU-Georgia (SEC Championship) (CBS) 10.9 million Purdue-Michigan (Big Ten Championship) (FOX) 10.7 million Alabama-Texas (FOX) 10.6 million Notre Dame-Ohio State (ABC) 10.5 million Kansas State–TCU (Big 12 Championship) 9.4 million Alabama-Ole Miss (CBS) 8.7 million Ohio State-Penn State (FOX) 8.3 million and here are the top 10 basketball games. Rank Matchup Date Viewers 1. North Carolina-Duke Feb. 4, 2023 2,855,000 2. Duke-North Carolina Mar. 4, 2023 2,628,000 3. Kentucky-Michigan State* Nov. 15, 2022 2,026,000 4. Purdue-Indiana Feb. 4, 2023 2,026,000 5. Kansas-Kentucky** Jan. 28, 2023 1,890,000 6. Virginia-North Carolina Feb. 25, 2023 1,866,000 7. Duke-Virginia Feb. 11, 2023 1,745,000 8. Florida-Kentucky Feb. 4, 2023 1,719,000 9. Indiana-Michigan Feb. 11, 2023 1,682,000 10. Kentucky-Tennessee Jan. 14, 2023 1,666,000