THE SIDELINES : Notre Dame Has Europe TV Deal

NEW YORK — Notre Dame, the first school to negotiate its own television contract with a major network, is taking its act to European television.

The Fighting Irish have reached a tentative agreement to have their football games televised in six European countries for three years, beginning this season.

The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, will allow London-based Screensport to use the feeds from Irish games being televised in the United States, said Notre Dame Sports Information Director John Heisler. Screensport is an all-sports satellite channel that reaches most of northern Europe.

In February, the Irish, whose television rights were held by ABC and ESPN, broke from the 64-team College Football Assn. to sign a five-year, $37.5-million contract with NBC. NBC will have exclusive television rights to Notre Dame’s home games for five seasons beginning in 1991.