ND won't join a conference until NBC stops offering them the exclusive contracts for it's games.
Besides that if ND ever wants to join a conferece, it would have to share it's bowl money, which is yet another thing ND is unwlling to go for at this point and time.
Yep. That about sums it up all right. :-)
ND Inc is worth over $60 Million a year on their own.
No way they join a league.
If, and that's a big if, ND ever joins a conference, it'll be the Big 10(that's if the Big 10 still wants them). I don't see them joining anybody anytime soon though. Like you said, they have their own TV contract and keep all the bowl revenue.