Alamo Dome

[devolg]

Was it just me or was the Alamo Dome really a shitty venue. It was like they were in a pole barn. The lighting was awful & the turf looked 50 years old. This combined with the idea of traveling "Notre Dame experience" felt cheap & almost like a bad circus. Was waiting for the elephants to roll out followed by clowns in cars.

I don't know, at 1st I was all for the concept of the home game away from home but theres just sooooooo much more to the tradition of Notre Dame football games during the fall in South Bend. This really felt like it cheapened that & unless you can take the weather, the Dome, Notre Dame Stadium, the library & Touchdown Jesus, the Grotto, & several other things that make Notre Dame what it is, I'm no longer a fan of this idea. I think it made us look worse nationally more than it helped recruiting locally in Texas.

I don't mean to be cynical of the whole idea but whether watching a home game on TV or actually being on campus under the backdrop of everything that makes Notre Dame such a special place, you're filled with such enormous sense of pride it's all you can do to contain it. When the players run out on the field at Notre Dame stadium it test my ability as a grown man to hold back tears of joy & last night night when they ran out I was almost emotionally dead. It just didn't have that feeling.

 

[weisbank4]

I thought it sucked. It reminded me of a Dec 18th bowl game in all honesty complete with empty seats.

If they want to keep doing this they should line up better teams. WSU isnt exactly a good traveling team.

 

[Riddickulous]

It was louder than Notre Dame Stadium. That was what I noticed.

 

[JerseyIrish]

I thought it sucked too, however I think we probably got a good deal (money wise) to play there. This was our first away home game and we were just testing the waters so you don't want to go somewhere like Cowboys Stadium and not fill it up. Coming off two bad years I can see why some people would not be that interested in watching us play. If this game was next year it would be packed. Plus I am sure there are a lot of Notre Dame haters in Texas... I think a good idea would have been to give the remaining unused tickets to charity (like Boys & Girls Club) for free just to fill up the seats, tons of pro teams do it, and we are ND, the closest thing to a Pro Team in college football. Also if we had played any Texas team there, I mean there are 10 D-I teams alone in that state (University of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Christian University, Baylor, Texas Tech, North Texas, Southern Methodist University, Rice, University of Texas-El Paso, and University of Houston). You can't tell me at least half of those teams would love to play ND if nothing more than for the exposure.

But the big upside I see to the Alamodome is that the Texas recruits get to see us. I think it will only get better with the better venues - like Yankees Stadium and Cowboys Stadium.

 

[JerseyIrish]

It was louder than Notre Dame Stadium. That was what I noticed.

Totally Agree and it made me cry, our fans at home are not living up to expectations, they should be stop ragging on the team for not living up to expectations when they can't even bother to stand up and be counted.

 

[devolg]

It was louder than Notre Dame Stadium. That was what I noticed.

um ya, it's a dome. Doesnt make it louder it just traps the noise. You can hear ND stadium miles away, doubt that was the case last night.

 

[WabashFalcon]

Is Notre Dame stadium in Texas? Can Texas kids who want to play D1 ball sit in the stands without buying a plane ticket in South Bend?

No?


This is a great chance to bring exposure to the big football state of Texas. If they wanted to do it in a gravel parking lot, I still would have said yes for the recruiting possibilities.

 

[devolg]

Totally Agree and it made me cry, our fans at home are not living up to expectations, they should be stop ragging on the team for not living up to expectations when they can't even bother to stand up and be counted.

acous·tics (ə ko̵̅o̅s′tiks)

plural noun
the qualities of a room, theater, etc. that have to do with how clearly sounds can be heard or transmitted in it

Trust me ND Stadium is loud. Much louder than it sounds on TV.

 

[kmoose]

Weis said it was a great venue, as well as a great experience as a whole. He said it had a very "bowl game-ish" feel to it. I'll take his word for it.

 

[jason_h537]

It was fun to see them in prime time. Good idea. Next year should be much better

 

[BeatSC]

I thought it sucked. It reminded me of a Dec 18th bowl game in all honesty complete with empty seats.

If they want to keep doing this they should line up better teams. WSU isnt exactly a good traveling team.

All I could think of was how much more I would be enjoying it if it was from ND. The venue did look cheesy. If it does help us to close some deals than great, if not never do it again. I would have rather seen them beat up WSU away.

 

[We_Are_ND]

Was anyone there? All I heard was great news and that it was a bowl-like atmosphere the whole week. I thought when ND came out of the tunnel the crowd was loud as hell and I was pumped.

 

[BeatSC]

Was anyone there? All I heard was great news and that it was a bowl-like atmosphere the whole week. I thought when ND came out of the tunnel the crowd was loud as hell and I was pumped.

The place was decorated like it was defintely an ND home game. Plus the boo's for Washington St. were very loud. Something looked different about our jerseys this game.

 

[kmoose]

Was anyone there?

Don't ever ask that again. I had 6 tickets in the 6th row, and had to cancel my trip. Sold the tickets, thankfully, but I'm not happy about not having made it down there for the game.

 

[PADOMERNUT]

Was anyone there? All I heard was great news and that it was a bowl-like atmosphere the whole week. I thought when ND came out of the tunnel the crowd was loud as hell and I was pumped.

I was there, and I thought it was a great atmosphere. The fans crowding the riverwalk did make it feel like a bowl game, I can only imagine what that place is like for a final four.

Having the opponent be a Washington State team who is struggling didnt help, however I am not for giving up a home game to play a team from Texas in Texas. The whole idea is to make ND look good in front of the Texas recruits, which WSU surely did. Also remember we still play 7 home games at ND stadium. So i liked the idea, it was a great experience.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

I did not have a single person tell me "down in front" the entire game. And there were lots of "older" fans sitting in the area around us. Liked that about this particular home game.

Washington State scored to make it 23-7 and you would have sworn they just won the Super Bowl. Their fans went NUTS. Hilarious.

Me and the kids were sitting right next to the band. My daughter got a picture with a very comely ND cheerleader after the game. Great day.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Was it just me or was the Alamo Dome really a shitty venue.

It was just you. You were really a shitty venue.

I thought it was cool. Crowd sounded loud, but I was at a sports bar searching for boobies and the ND game, and I don't know if it was the roar of the crowd when ND came out or if it was the roar when LaTech scored or when UAB...

 

[irish4ever]

I was there and I thought that it was a GREAT time. No, it was not ND stadium, but all in all I thought that it was a good atmosphere and great experience for the players and fans. I got to visit the Alamo, spend a great time on the River Walk (sooo many Irish fans!) and got to see the Irish play live (what more could you want)! Along w/ the fantastic weather, it was well worth it!

 

[BGIF]

I was there and I thought that it was a GREAT time. No, it was not ND stadium, but all in all I thought that it was a good atmosphere and great experience for the players and fans. I got to visit the Alamo, spend a great time on the River Walk (sooo many Irish fans!) and got to see the Irish play live (what more could you want)! Along w/ the fantastic weather, it was well worth it!

I saw quotes from ND fans that travelled from NJ, VA, and TX and they shared your feelings. Media reports described it as a bowl atmosphere.



ND played before more than 53,000 and of those probably more than 50,000 came to see ND. That's more fans than see ND play at BC, Stanford, Syracuse, Connecticut, among others including almost all of the Big East, and most of the stadiums in the state of Texas. Boise St hosts a bowl game that only seats 32,000.

 

[devolg]

Well maybe I was wrong & I'm glad so many people enjoyed it. It's just the way it appeared to me I guess. Might have alot to do with being a local.

Still say the dome itself was kinda shitty with bad turf & bad lighting.

 

[Nothingman]

There always something a little off when you see Notre Dame in a domed stadium, especiallly in the home jersey. It was the same feeling when they played in the '07 Sugar Bowl. I am really looking forward to seeing them in the new Yankee Stadium next year.

 

[BGIF]

There always something a little off when you see Notre Dame in a domed stadium, especiallly in the home jersey. It was the same feeling when they played in the '07 Sugar Bowl. ...

Probably because ND hasn't done well in domed stadiums going 2-5. The '92 Sugar Bowl win over UF was the other win.