What would you change about ND Stadium?

Jerry

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What can you really do about old people? I'm sort of surprised so many of them show up. I guess you could have more night games, then all the greys and blues will be asleep. I invited a few buddies to the Purdue opener and it was sort of embarrassing how lame the other tailgates were around us. We were playing music (just the car stereo) and people were staring at us like we had Marylin Manson playing on top of the car. You go to other college games and it's like a concert atmosphere in the stadium.
 

irishtrain

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I would like to see an interlocking ND at midfield and Notre Dame in the endzone instead of those retarted lines. Notre Dames field is so lame.

I would like to see a jumbotron as well so we can see replays etc. Maybe not let old people in the stadium anymore since they **** and moan when its too loud or if you are standing in the way.
Interlocking ND at midfield is fine, but never change the endzones-thats tradition.
 

GreatGolson

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This is a touchy area for a lot of fans. But here is a post '93 generation perspective. I want more seats, i want a jumbotron, i want ticket prices to go down so (see more seats) so there isnt a lottery to see who can get tix to a game. I want an atmosphere that promotes fear, not as one fan put it "Catholic Disney World" i want Death Valley, i want Bryant-Denny stadium, i want the Swamp. And before i die i hope and believe Notre Dame will not be playing in the house Rockne built. (although it may actually be called Rockne Stadium) well theres my 2 cents. Lets here some hate....
 
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This is a touchy area for a lot of fans. But here is a post '93 generation perspective. I want more seats, i want a jumbotron, i want ticket prices to go down so (see more seats) so there isnt a lottery to see who can get tix to a game. I want an atmosphere that promotes fear, not as one fan put it "Catholic Disney World" i want Death Valley, i want Bryant-Denny stadium, i want the Swamp. And before i die i hope and believe Notre Dame will not be playing in the house Rockne built. (although it may actually be called Rockne Stadium) well theres my 2 cents. Lets here some hate....

I don't mean to cast too much vitriol, but that would be terrible. The stadium is basically perfect, it's the people who show up who need to change. Getting rowdier fans in there isn't an architectural issue, it's a policy and culture issue.

I go to Ohio State, the place gets absolutely nuts during games. You wouldn't get that loud unless you rebuilt a stadium--which would be TERRIBLE. I'm a bit shocked you even suggest it. New basketball area? Fine. Add onto the stadium to >100,000? Fine. But to knock over the most historical stadium in the country is just egregious. Notre Dame isn't the Yankees.

I went to the Michigan-Ohio State game in 2006 (#1 vs. #2), and all of the home games this season among a few others, and all of those were inferior compared to the experience of watching Notre Dame play Purdue this September. Now I'm incredibly biased, but it's just my opinion.

A subtle, and classy, cover to the tunnel would be neat.

A Michigan-esque SMALLER video board would be....alright.

A "jumbotron" would look ridiculous.

I do see the day, sadly, where the stadium resembles this:

aeriallambeau.jpg


Hopefully they expand to 100,000 first and put the boxes all around, that would at least look classy. But in the end I think the stadium is just fine as it is.
 

Irish Houstonian

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I've never been to a game, but it's clear how quiet the stadium is compared to just about any other school. I think increased crowd noise would be the #1 improvement in my book.

Expanding the stadium would seem to improve this volume problem in 3 different ways: (1) more people, (2) better acoustics, and (3) lower ticket prices, allowing the "lower classes" and younger fans greater access to the game.

Which brings me to a related topic, namely the one thing I like about state schools over ND: popular accessability. I had literally no chance of being admitted to ND, and will probably never be able to go to a game (although part of that is geography). ND will always be #1 to me, and there's not even a close 2nd, but IMHO it's always been tough for me to root for a school that would never consider me smart enough to attend.
 

irishtrain

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Yes and no.

The end zones have been painted before with script, a leprechaun and football.
Yes but they always go back to the vintage slashes, when I see that I know where the game is being played. Its good because no one else does it today. They one thing from this thread I do agree on is if they win and can handle the parking and campus interference build that baby to 110,000 capacity. Its been purposely constructed for that type of expansion. Hell make it 120,000.
 

IanBr22

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: Less old people

: Jumbotron

: More seats

: Field turf

: ND at the 50 yard line

: PA system: we need the bells when opposing offense is on 3rd down
 

RallySonsOfND

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Logo on the fifty for sure, but keep the endzones the same.

I feel that if big changes come to the stadium, it will be during the Kelly era.
 

delt1147

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: Less old people

: Jumbotron

: More seats

: Field turf

: ND at the 50 yard line

: PA system: we need the bells when opposing offense is on 3rd down

Why field turf? That stuff sucks. Harder on the legs. Ever play a game on that. You feel it so much more the next day. It is used alot now because of maintenance issues. Many games are being played at most college stadiums and the fields are being detroyed. ND does not have this issue so taking care of the turf is much easier. I think turf is the last thing it needs and would take away from the experience.
 

PapaIrish37

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Smaller version of a Jumbotron in South End Zone would be fine.

Since I am older (clearly remember the '66 Game of the Century and think of Terry not Conor when someone says Hanratty), I worry about the comments re: older fans. Just need more rabid fans of all ages - don't know how to do that but when I am there I usually have no voice until at least the following Thursday. Please though lets not equate rabid and loud with vulgar. ND Stadium is one of the few sporting venues I still enjoy attending with our youngest daughter (ND Class of '18 if we are lucky).

More seats would be great as long as the design and asthetic remain the same.

BAGPIPES - "We are the Fighting Irish" afterall. Dropkick Murphys (after all Kelly is a Boston guy) version of "Cadence to Arms" blaring from a new and clearly audible PA system as the Irish take the field would be outstanding.

Consistently winning football would be the best change - it will come if we are patient.

GO IRISH!
 

NeuteredDoomer

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Smaller version of a Jumbotron in South End Zone would be fine.

Since I am older (clearly remember the '66 Game of the Century and think of Terry not Conor when someone says Hanratty), I worry about the comments re: older fans. Just need more rabid fans of all ages - don't know how to do that but when I am there I usually have no voice until at least the following Thursday. Please though lets not equate rabid and loud with vulgar. ND Stadium is one of the few sporting venues I still enjoy attending with our youngest daughter (ND Class of '18 if we are lucky).

More seats would be great as long as the design and asthetic remain the same.

BAGPIPES - "We are the Fighting Irish" afterall. Dropkick Murphys (after all Kelly is a Boston guy) version of "Cadence to Arms" blaring from a new and clearly audible PA system as the Irish take the field would be outstanding.

Consistently winning football would be the best change - it will come if we are patient.

GO IRISH!

YouTube - Dropkick Murphys - Cadence to Arms (Scotland the Brave)

Awesome
 

BurningRiver

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The biggest thing that needs to happen is for the fans to be loud. Nothing changes the atmosphere (other than a winning team of course) more than to have a loud, intimidating home crowd.

We don't need to put an ND at the fifty, we don't need a huge jumbotron (altough a smaller one with replays would be nice). we just need the fans who are there to be loud. we cant change the fact that there are old people there, but we should be able to change the fact that the ones who are there know that they arent there to have a quaint saturday watching a rousing contest of football, rather a day where they should be prepared to lose their voice cheering for their team.
 

Legacy

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Smaller version of a Jumbotron in South End Zone would be fine.

Since I am older (clearly remember the '66 Game of the Century and think of Terry not Conor when someone says Hanratty), I worry about the comments re: older fans. Just need more rabid fans of all ages - don't know how to do that but when I am there I usually have no voice until at least the following Thursday. Please though lets not equate rabid and loud with vulgar. ND Stadium is one of the few sporting venues I still enjoy attending with our youngest daughter (ND Class of '18 if we are lucky).

More seats would be great as long as the design and asthetic remain the same.

BAGPIPES - "We are the Fighting Irish" afterall. Dropkick Murphys (after all Kelly is a Boston guy) version of "Cadence to Arms" blaring from a new and clearly audible PA system as the Irish take the field would be outstanding.

Consistently winning football would be the best change - it will come if we are patient.

GO IRISH!

Excellent comment, Papa.

RKF - the right kind of fan, regardless of age. When you are hoarse for days after a game, you get priority in the lottery - not because you have bought your right to a ticket. I'd love to see more Subway Alumni whose dream has always been to come to a game. Less "fans" who resell tickets to opponents' fans that travel across country or throw snowballs at the team.

Mike the student section and band with loudspeakers around the stadium. Irish war cadences. A larger, interactive scoreboard.

How about a bit of Garry Owen and O'Donnell Abu?

YouTube - John Phillip Sousa - The Garry Owen
 

Rocket89

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+1 X100

Scoring points and winning games generates noise.

TD squared X 3.14 = rabid mania

Winning helps but I don't think it's "the problem."

Usually winning=loudness...

But it should be loudness win or lose. That's why I've been saying it's a deep cultural thing (of which a lack of winning has played a big part in cultivating) but I'm not convinced that an upspike in winning would change things much.

For example, in today's game against WMU, it's not going to be loud. If the Irish go up by 14 or 21 points, the crowd will settle in and there will be virtually no noise unless there is a really big play, and even then it might just be accelerated golf clapping.

That's my biggest problem here, other stadiums are just loud period. Unless it's a complete blowout, other places are brining it win or lose.

Winning would help at ND but it would still be quiet if a bad team is in town or if ND is losing by 10 or more points or if the Irish have a big lead.
 

PapaIrish37

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Legacy,

YouTube - Scottish Pipes & Drum - Gary Owen O'Donald Abu

An all pipes version. Agree some things to increase the involvement during downtimes would be great. Doesn't have to be cheesy.

The student section and ND Band do a great job. Just not big enough a student body to carry the whole stadiu like most schools in the BCS conferences. Getting the whole stadium involved in the chants and cheers or at least standing up and screaming iwth them would be great.
 

PapaIrish37

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Rocket89,
Really liked your article. Agree the crowd has little cheering stamina most of the time.
 

irishfan

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Cut out about 5,000-8,000 seats so that Touchdown Jesus is visible. Didn't Michigan do something to help keep crowd noise in? Maybe re-add those 5,000-8,000 seats around the top and do what Mich did. Don't even know if its allowed anymore, but make it like the old days with the standing room outside the endzones.
 

dshans

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I would line up the Stadium to Touchdown Jesus.
Since construction of the stadium preceded construction of the library, shouldn't any "re-jiggering" involve moving the library?

TIC.*



*Tongue-In-Cheek
 
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