Notre Dame gets rewarded for having a national fan base. Notre Dame=eyeballs. Remember you’re dealing with a corrupt sport with no set post-season criteria, the only major sport without one.
Old media IMHO. most people, granted I’m in SEC territory think ND is the overrated ugly friend of the prom queen. Now if D = seats or eyes on a game then it makes sens but no one in 800 miles thinks it anything then network BS.