Why do ND fans not wear their school colors to games at ND stadium?

[punishment]

Woah, woah, before you guys flame me, hear me out.

Just because I'm bored at work . . .

I've been to some USC games, and about 90% of their fans are wearing those ugly red and yellow colors; at UCLA games they are all wearing powder blue.

You can watch Tennessee and Texas, Oklahoma, etc., and they all flood their stadiums with their school colors.

But, why do ND fans, at ND stadium, seem to wear anything but blue, gold or green? The students all wear "the shirt," while the alumni section is wearing black, grey, white, purple, brown, plaid, polka dots, etc.

I wish there was a place where I could challenge all alumni to wear their school colors to the games. But, I don't know where.

Now that I have sat in the student and alumni sections, I will also say that the alumni section tends to be quiet. And when I would get loud, people would look at me funny. Why?

Not trying to get people riled up, more of a challenge to those who wear grey and black to ND stadium.

Would any of the senior alumni on this board know if this was different back in the day?

 

[bmf175]

Last game I went to, it seemed like everybody was wearing ND colors. The only shirt that puzzled me was the female students wore pink ND shirts, yes pin is a girly color, but it doesnt go with the ND colors.

 

[punishment]

I've been back to games the last two years, sitting in the alumni section. And it seemed like people were wearing anything but blue or green.

The reason I was thinking about this, was because I was given a framed picture of notre dame stadium as a gift this past week. It is during one of the usc games. But you can totally see where the USC fans are with their red. And the green where the students are. But the rest of the stadium appears to be wearing white or grey.

 

[jiggafini19]

I don't notice what they're wearing, but I've noticed the crickets chirping and the mass amounts of AARP members in the stands, that's for sure.

That USC game made me feel like I was in another place. The games I'd been to previous to that? DEAD quiet.

 

[Domer95]

Since the majority of AARPerAlums sit through the games, you can't see their blue/green plaid pants or the blue ones with the gold interlocking NDs.

Seriously, you raise a good question. I don't think it's as bad as you portray, but still I'd like to see a little more blue/gold/green.

Think of the times when we're away and they show the ND section (like every 5 mins of the Purdouche game, as that's about as fast as we scored) and you can clearly see the "ND fan section", just like when Spoiled Children or scUM come to SoBe.

 

[maison bleu]

I think this is part of it: unlike red or orange or powder blue, NDs colors tend to blend together with other colors more, so they're indistinct. Dark blue blends in with gray, brown, black, dark green. In a crowd shot, they all blend in.

Collectively the colors don't show so much. But when you're walking around the crowd outside the stadium and out amongst the tailgaters, most of the individuals are wearing ND colors.

The AARP effect noted above is real too.

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

I think this is part of it: unlike red or orange or powder blue, NDs colors tend to blend together with other colors more, so they're indistinct. Dark blue blends in with gray, brown, black, dark green. In a crowd shot, they all blend in.
Collectively the colors don't show so much. But when you're walking around the crowd outside the stadium and out amongst the tailgaters, most of the individuals are wearing ND colors.
The AARP effect noted above is real too.

Blue Hairs are taking over!

 

[irish4life99]

I don't notice what they're wearing, but I've noticed the crickets chirping and the mass amounts of AARP members in the stands, that's for sure.
That USC game made me feel like I was in another place. The games I'd been to previous to that? DEAD quiet.

This I noticed and agree with also. Seems like the majority of season ticket holders are elderly and I get real disappointed when I get crazy and everyone around me looks at me as If I were nuts. It's been commented on by visiting players that they love to come and play here because it's so relaxing. Perhaps a NC run will change some of that. It wasn't always like that. In the late 80's and 90's we rocked the house down!

 

[punishment]

This I noticed and agree with also. Seems like the majority of season ticket holders are elderly and I get real disappointed when I get crazy and everyone around me looks at me as If I were nuts. It's been commented on by visiting players that they love to come and play here because it's so relaxing. Perhaps a NC run will change some of that. It wasn't always like that. In the late 80's and 90's we rocked the house down!

And I guess the big questin is: how can we change that? Or will we have to settle for always being a quiet stadium that has this relaxing atmosphere to opposing teams.

I don't care how old you are, I think you should still be crazy about your teams. You should have seen my 80 year old grandfather screaming like a lunatic during soccer games.

My opinion, and I don't want to offend anyone, is that maybe ND fans think it is below them to act like crazy fanatics at games. After all, I know I have seen on these forums where people make fun of other crowds who go wild over their teams. Calling them "crazy" and other negative terms that I won't mention when people speak of Tennessee's fans.

But that's the thing, is it shameful to root wildly for your team at a certain age? Is it because most ND alums usually achieve great status position within society?

I know I'm getting a little too philosophical here. But point being, a friend of mine, who is a USC grad, is going out to and ND game with me this year. And to be honest, he is going to realize that the stadium atmosphere at USC is way, way better than that of ND.

 

[guff]

My first experience at ND stadium was a complete shock to me. Most of my previous experience attending sporting events was at hockey games where banging on the glass and throwing hats on the ice is accepted and moving in and out of the aisle while action is going on is strictly forbidden.

So I was shocked when I found that the endzone seats in Notre Dame Stadium are not the Irish equivalent of the Dog Pound. When I hopped up to cheer (the game was the ‘02 Pitt game so any cheering that was done was for a defensive play) some old guy said “Sit down, you’re not a student” . Direct quote. I will never forget it. I politely told him that if he wanted to watch the game while seated he could find a TV I paid a lot a money to cheer.

I going to try to say this without insulting the alums because this is general statement that doesn’t apply to every alum, but too many of them are far too hoity-toity to be football fans. They would seem to be much more at home in clubhouse of Augusta National on the first Sunday in April then in a football stadium on Saturday afternoon. A lot of them don’t seem to be enjoying themselves - win or lose. And that hacks me off because there are a whole lot of people who’d love to buy their tickets and actually root for ND.

And to be perfectly clear I’m not advocating Philthadelphia fan type behavior but some ‘root root rooting’ for the home team would be a good idea.

As for all fans wearing the same color, a few threads ago I suggested that ND pick a color -green, gold, blue, doesn’t matter- and stick with it. That way the color becomes a tradition.

 

[Easton Pa ND Fan]

Remember the "RED" Nebraska fiasco?

Remember the "RED" Nebraska fiasco?

Bright red is 10x more visible than the ND navy blue. Much was made of the faculty area being loaded with red, but the truth is that there were really not that many Nebraskans in the stadium. It just seemed so.

IF ND wants their fan base to be visible, use Gold, a lighter shade of blue or a bluish green. The student section really stands out in bluish-green.

Being technical:

You see the same brightness level of red and navy blue as red being 3-4x brighter. But Nebraska red is 3x lighter (brighter) than navy blue, hence the 10x standout advantage.

Blue would be more effective if it had a hint of green and were two shades lighter (UCLA?).

Gold would be best, it has a brightness value equal to Nebraska red. Gold is only slightly less noticeable than red.

It would certainly brighten up the stadium. Maybe Jason could use it here?

Tom

 

[irish4life99]

Bright red is 10x more visible than the ND navy blue. Much was made of the faculty area being loaded with red, but the truth is that there were really not that many Nebraskans in the stadium. It just seemed so.
IF ND wants their fan base to be visible, use Gold, a lighter shade of blue or a bluish green. The student section really stands out in bluish-green.
Being technical:
You see the same brightness level of red and navy blue as red being 3-4x brighter. But Nebraska red is 3x lighter (brighter) than navy blue, hence the 10x standout advantage.
Blue would be more effective if it had a hint of green and were two shades lighter (UCLA?).
Gold would be best, it has a brightness value equal to Nebraska red. Gold is only slightly less noticeable than red.
It would certainly brighten up the stadium. Maybe Jason could use it here?
Tom

It's true some colors will stand out more than others. But does the color also affect how much passion you show for you team? I'm not trying to make social distinctions and I love my Irish. But it used to be alot more blue collar student body. Face it, ND is a very expensive school ,and the majority are suburbanies that come here are of some social stature. I'm not judging, I'm just stating a fact. Where as the more middle class main stream are more rowdy. Hell I don't know, that's my dime store social class = crowd noise thereory! Take it for what it's worth.

 

[jiggafini19]

When the first 15 rows stood up in front of us at the SC game, my dad and I would have to stand up as well to see the game. People behind us started complaining.

My cousin attended Ole Miss and I went down there for a game a few years ago (The Eli Experience). The Grove was cool, but during the football game itself I only sat down at halftime to rest. EVERYone stood the entire game....and yelled. Constantly.

The Notre Dame Student Section....I like getting tickets near them. I missed out on being in the stands for many years. Being up there in that area, getting to be involved with that, they do it right.

Maybe Charlie Weis, his staff and these new "nasties" can change the culture. I know that in November 2004 you could hear the air on one of Tyler Palko's touchdown passes but in October of last year against USC, I couldn't hear my dad talking in the fourth quarter and he was standing right next to me.

Get crazy.

 

[Folsteam_Ahead]

i havent been to nd for a game since i was in my teens. i think it was against vandy in the late 90's. anyhow, i remember the crowd being mostly tame. my parents are pretty much that way as well, needless to say they're old school nd and st. mary's alums.

however, i must comment on the behavior of fans at the fiesta bowl this last year. i haven't seen nd fans go that crazy since the sugar bowl against florida. my pushing 60 parents were standing the whole time, jumping up and down when we'd score, and near toppling over into the fetal position when osu scored. it's how every game should be.

i don't think it will be difficult to transplant that passion and attitude to home games. as the weis-train gains more momentum, and the wins pile up, the fans will join in with the pandemonium especially if we make a run at the national championship almost every year.

i think everyone has noticed this problem, but i think we all know something is brewing amongst the nd faithful. i cant wait to see my next nd home game THIS YEAR! now that i'm graduated from college it's an annual (this being the inaugural year) pilgrimage. just thought i'd share that since my girlfriend couldn't care less except to complain i'll be leaving her for a weekend.

 

[punishment]

I agree, we do see passionate, loud behavior at ROAD games. But why does it not translate to the home games?