On Campus: NBC Eyes Notre Dame Extension; ACC & IMG; ABC Up

NBC Renegotiating Deal With Notre Dame

NBC is "already in initial discussions on a third renewal of the unprecedented alliance" with Notre Dame football, according to sources cited by ESPN.com's Darren Rovell, who noted NBC has already renewed its deal twice since '91 and "will pay the Irish more than $1.5[M] per game through" the '05 season. But with Notre Dame at 3-6, "this year's ratings could be the worst NBC has ever endured since forming the alliance." An average of almost 4.8 million HHs watched the team play from '91-95, the life of the first contract, but average per-game viewership "has dropped by nearly two million households" in the last five years. But Rovell wrote NBC "likely will stick with Notre Dame" partly because the "programming is still relatively cheap compared to other major sports rights fees." The deal costs NBC slightly more than $9M annually, about $15M less than ESPN/ABC's deal to broadcast ACC football (ESPN.com, 11/10).

ACC HIRES IMG: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Andy Bernstein reports the ACC has tapped IMG "to represent the conference in its pursuit of new [TV] contracts for football." IMG won the account over "about a half-dozen consultants," including Neal Pilson, Mike Trager and The Bonham Group. The ACC's deals with ABC, ESPN and Jefferson-Pilot Sports run through the '05 season, but "contain a clause that allows the contracts to be opened up if the ACC changes its roster of schools." IMG/TWI Vice Chair Barry Frank will "act as a consultant and adviser and be directly involved in the negotiations" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/10 issue).

RATINGS: USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke reports ABC's college football games "attracted their highest audience of the season" on Saturday with a 6.1 overnight Nielsen rating, up 61% from a 3.8 overnight last year. This weekend's games included Tennessee-Miami, Michigan State-Ohio State and UCLA-Washington State. Season-to-date, ABC's college football ratings have been even with last year's 4.2, but they "are expected to climb above last year when national numbers are released Thursday." CBS' national ratings have been up 15% but "will likely drop somewhat" after Saturday's 3.3 overnight for Ole Miss-Auburn. Only NBC, down 19% due to "slumping" Notre Dame, shows a decline for college football this year (USA TODAY, 11/11).