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Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry was always about the money

In the 1970s, Michigan athletic director Don Canham wanted to add a premier nonconference opponent so he could sell more season tickets. Michigan and Notre
Michael Rosenberg|
Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry was always about the money
Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry was always about the money

In the 1970s, Michigan athletic director Don Canham wanted to add a premier nonconference opponent so he could sell more season tickets. Michigan and Notre Dame had feuded for years, going back to the days of legendary coaches Knute Rockne, Fielding Yost and Fritz Crisler. (According to Canham's memoir, From The Inside: Crisler thought if Michigan played Notre Dame, "Our Catholic students will be sitting in the Michigan stadium cheering for the Irish." Yes, those were slightly different times.)

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Michael Rosenberg
MICHAEL ROSENBERG

Michael Rosenberg is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated, covering any and all sports. He writes columns, profiles and investigative stories and has covered almost every major sporting event. He joined SI in 2012 after working at the Detroit Free Press for 13 years, eight of them as a columnist. Rosenberg is the author of "War As They Knew It: Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler and America in a Time of Unrest." Several of his stories also have been published in collections of the year's best sportswriting. He is married with three children.

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