Notre Dame football is not in a conference because the school has chosen to remain an independent in football to protect its national brand, scheduling freedom, and lucrative TV deal with NBC, while its other sports do compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Historical Independence

Notre Dame has played as a football independent since the early 20th century, building a national identity by scheduling big games across the country rather than being tied to a regional conference. This independence became a core part of the program’s tradition and marketing, allowing it to maintain rivalries with schools in different regions (like USC, Michigan, and Stanford) and present itself as a national, rather than regional, program.

TV Deal with NBC

The biggest modern reason is Notre Dame’s exclusive television contract with NBC (and now Peacock), under which NBC pays the school roughly $50 million per year to broadcast its home football games. If Notre Dame joined a conference, it would have to share that TV revenue with other conference members, which would significantly reduce its income. By staying independent, Notre Dame keeps all of that money and maintains control over its broadcast schedule and branding.

Conference for Other Sports

Notre Dame is not fully independent in college athletics. Its basketball, baseball, soccer, and most other sports compete in the ACC, which gives those teams conference schedules, championships, and access to conference revenue. The football program is the only major sport that remains independent, preserving its unique status while the rest of the athletic department benefits from conference affiliation.

Playoff and Financial Incentives

Recent changes to the College Football Playoff (CFP) have also reduced the pressure to join a conference. Under the new 12‑team format, Notre Dame no longer needs to win a conference championship to earn a first‑round bye, removing one of the last strong arguments for joining a league. As long as the CFP treats Notre Dame as a de facto “Power” program and its NBC deal remains highly profitable, the school has little incentive to give up independence.