Kevin Warren offers update on Notre Dame, Big Ten situation
Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren took to the stage in Indianapolis on Tuesday morning at Big Ten Media Days and fielded questions about everything from College Football Playoff expansion to mental health. While he was not asked directly about Notre Dame during his formal opening remarks, Tim May of Lettermen Row caught up with Warren in Lucas Oil Stadium and posed a big question: Will the Big Ten pursue a currently independent Notre Dame?
“It wouldn’t be prudent for me to pursue anyone in another conference,” Warren responded. “We already have them in our conference for hockey. You know how much I love Notre Dame. I have great respect for them.”
Warren is a 1990 graduate of Notre Dame Law School and returned to South Bend following graduation as a professor. He established Kevin Warren & Associates, a sports and entertainment group, in 1992. Former Irish defensive lineman Chris Zorich was his first client. The Arizona native also received an undergraduate degree from Grand Canyon University and graduated from Arizona State in 1988 with an MBA.
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May asked another question of Warren while he had him, inquiring about if Notre Dame should join any conference in football.
“As of now, they’ve proven that they can make it without being in a conference,” Warren said. “So we’ll keep doing what we’re doing and see how everything plays out.”
During his first 45-minute appearance in front of the media, Warren addressed realignment more broadly. Notre Dame was not mentioned.
“It will be done for the right reasons at the right time, with our student-athletes’ academic and athletic empowerment at the center,” Warren said. “We will not expand just to expand. It will be strategic. It will add additional value.”
Notre Dame certainly checks that box.
The latest round of conference realignment was set off by USC and UCLA’s decisions to make the move to the Big Ten in 2024. Fears of further moves on the part of the SEC were quelled last week at SEC Media Days when commission Greg Sankey said the conference is not looking to expand further right now. As a result of his comments, the common sentiment is now that Notre Dame will hold, at least for a year or so, to see how media rights deals shake out. Notre Dame’s current NBC contract runs through 2025, while the Big Ten deal is presently being renegotiated and ends after the 2023 season.
