FOX Sportscaster Tim Brando told The Aubible podcast today that he believes Notre Dame will forgo its independent status in football and become a full-time member of the Atlantic Coast Conference within three years. Brando added that Coach Brian Kelly would prefer the Irish join a conference than remain independent.
“Rights fees continue to move upward,” Brando told FOX’s Bruce Feldman and Stewart Mandel. “I do believe it’s going to happen when Notre Dame understands that it’s in their financial best interests to be in a conference. Because they cannot command the same same dollar from NBC or any other network by simply having seven home games televised.