Jack Swarbrick explains what the Big Ten’s TV deal with NBC means for Notre Dame

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick commented on NBC’s reported media rights deal with the Big Ten on Wednesday afternoon.

Speaking on a school live chat, Swarbrick said the partnership between NBC and the Big Ten is a good thing because it allows NBC to have more college football inventory.

“We need NBC to have more college football, to more effectively promote our games and to talk about our games and to have NBC be seen in that light,” Swarbrick said. “So that was great for us.”

Notre Dame is in the midst of negotiating a new TV deal with NBC. The Fighting Irish are reportedly seeking $75 million annually — an amount that would help them remain independent.

As part of that negotiation, NBC was reportedly looking for “shoulder programming” to go alongside its Notre Dame offerings. This Big Ten deal seems to satisfy that requirement for NBC.

Swarbrick also updated Notre Dame’s “checklist” for remaining independent on Wednesday. He said Notre Dame’s media partners, access to the College Football Playoff and finding the right home for the Irish’s olympic sports will all play a factor.

Notre Dame’s current TV deal expires in 2025. The Fighting Irish are bound to the ACC’s grant-of-rights in non-football sports until 2036.