Basic Information
Stadium: Notre Dame Stadium
Location: South Bend, IN (41.69813, -86.23399)
Owner: University of Notre Dame
Primary sport: football
Year constructed: 1930; last major renovation 2017
Listed capacity: 77,622
Date last visited: September 2024
Stadium information: https://fightingirish.com/facilities-notre-dame-stadium-html/
Summary Review: 5 stars (out of 5)
The Cathedral of College Football. The Knute Rockne Gate. "Play like a champion today." The golden dome. Touchdown Jesus. The great thing about college football is that every university has its own unique tradition, but few universities have as much college football tradition as Notre Dame. A football program with this much tradition could rest on its laurels and make the gameday experience the same as it was in 1980, but Notre Dame hasn't done that. Instead, watching a game at the Cathedral of College Football offers an intriguing blend of the old and the new, the sacred and the secular. The stadium was completely reconstructed in 2017, and it's construction/design is as good as any stadium in college football. They take you live via video into the locker room when the team recites the "Lord's prayer" before the game, but the music they boom through the loud speakers was a number 1 hit on the pop charts less than 2 years ago. Concessions offer both unique and traditional fare. The team I support was the visiting team and a heavy underdog when I came here. Did my team come out of South Bend with a win? No. Did I care? Yes, but not really. I had a great time in Notre Dame Stadium, and every college football fan should come here at least once.
Detailed Review:
Gameday Atmosphere: The stadium atmosphere is an amazing mix of the ancient and the present. They take you live into the locker room when the team recites the "Lord's prayer" before they take the field. Yet the music they boom through the loud speakers just before the team runs out of the locker room was a number 1 pop hit less than 2 years ago. The marching band's uniforms and pregame show are similar to yesteryear, and the field is painted similar to the 1930's. Yet they use an on-field host to keep fans engaged during time outs. I really can't think of many universities that provide a fan experience that can compete with Notre Dame's.
Seating: mostly bench seating. The rows are reasonably wide and provide good access to seats away from the aisles.
Field View: My seats were in the upper deck of the north end zone, which are literally the worst seats in the stadium. Yet considering where I was, I had a decent view of the field.
Audio/Video: The audio system is as clear and loud as any stadium system I have heard. There is 1 large and excellent video board at the south end of the stadium.
Concessions/Hot Dogs: The hot dogs are large and juicy, but they cost $6, so they had better be. The concessions are on the concourse behind the stands where you would expect them, and there are plenty of concession areas throughout the stadium. Other than the cost, there isn't much to complain about on the concessions.
Pedestrian Flow: wide and gradually sloped ramps get people to the upper deck, and I had a quick and easy time getting in and out of the stadium in spite of the capacity crowd.
Parking: There is no free parking anywhere near campus, and the cheapest gameday parking is $30. They do run shuttle busses to some remote lots, but most lots are within a mile of the stadium. Thus, most people including me prefer to walk.
