The dominos continue to fall in the Big East Conference. Announced by the Atlantic Coast Conference on Wednesday, Notre Dame will be joining the conference as a non-football member.
"Notre Dame has been a valued member of the BIG EAST Conference and we wish them success in the future," Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco said on Twitter. "However, Notre Dame's departure does not change our plans. We have prestigious institutions that are excited to be a part of the BIG EAST. We remain committed to making the BIG EAST stronger than it has ever been."
Notre Dame is the third Big East school to leave for the ACC following Syracuse and Pittsburgh who announced their move last September. West Virginia has already left the league and is now playing in the Big12.
Like the other schools that have looked to leave the Big East Conference, Notre Dame will be forced to wait 27 months before the move can happen and also pay a $5 million exit fee. However, Syracuse, Pittsburgh and West Virginia have all negotiated higher exit fees in order to leave the conference sooner.
"We are immensely grateful to the members of the Big East," Notre Dame Director of Athletics said on Notre Dame's website. "Which has been a wonderful home for us the past 17 years. We also think that the conference has a strong future under the leadership of its new commissioner, Mike Aresco."
The Big East has been the conference most involved in the realignment around the NCAA. Along with losing those four schools the conference has added Temple, SMU, Houston, Memphis and UCF as all-sport members starting next season, with Boise State, San Diego State and Navy joining as football only members.
Still with Notre Dame leaving the conference, questions of the future of the Big East has once again been raised as arguably their most known and marketable school has left.
Stephen Valenti can be reached at Stephen.valenti@student.shu.edu
