By: Jeffrey Collier Jr. and Pele Vargas
Tag: LJ Collier
Appreciation for the recognizable Notre Dame stadium
Created By: Jeffrey Collier Jr.
Almost 90 years ago the Fighting Irish played their first home at Notre Dame stadium in South Bend, Indiana. The original seating capacity was 60,000 and stayed that way for six decades. It patterned one scale around the stadium and was built according to the design of Michigan Stadium.
More than 21,000 seats were added for the 1997 season, which increased the capacity to over 80,000.
Notre Dame Stadium Usher and graduate John McDonald added, “the original stadium was made up of over one million bricks mixed with limestone to add more of an Indiana feel since we don’t like those guys from Michigan”.
After the Campus Crossroads renovation to add more lighting, the number of seats decreased to 77,622. The playing surface was changed to artificial turf in 2014 after 84 seasons on natural grass.
The stadium is known for its view of the large mural looking over the stadium called Touchdown Jesus.
There have been 249 consecutive sellouts at Notre Dame Stadium. The stadium host other sporting events such as soccer and hockey.
“No matter who plays in this stadium or how much it changes it will always be the house that Knute Rockne built.”