ND is not joining the BIG 12. NBC is considering buying rights to BIG 12 games as a lead in or follow up to ND events on NBC to draw a bigger college football audience to NBC.
NBC needs a power conference in this role because it’s the most likely to pull in an audience. Being the P5 that earned the third highest tv ratings , the SEC 100% locked up, the Big Ten about to be- most rights likely with Fox, the PAC all but dead and the Acc either locked through 2036 or about to lose multiple brands or both, the stabilized BIG 12 makes the most sense.
Who knows if it will ever involve any BIG 12/ND games, but if it happens and does- all good for both parties.
BIG 12 schools need to replace that high rating OU game or UT game and ND. Probably does that better.
what this would mean for the BIG 12 would be a guarantee of remaining on over the air national broadcasts for the biggest games on Saturdays in good time slots, also with the ability to continue having programming on other networks and outlets as well. I’m sure NBC would have to pay the BIG 12 very well for such rights.