The yearly tradition for Notre Dame football of playing their Shamrock Series neutral site game may not take place for the 2017 season.
For the past seven seasons, fans of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish who haven’t been able to attend a game in South Bend, Indiana have had the luxury of seeing their favorite team play one of their home contests each season in a different location.
The “Shamrock Series” started in 2009 and has seen Notre Dame head everywhere from Yankee Stadium (2010 vs. Army) to Fenway Park (2015 vs. Boston College) and nearby Chicago (2012 vs. Miami) and far away San Antonio (2009 vs. Washington State).
While the team is scheduled to head back to the state of Texas for the third time in the series and play Army this November in San Antonio, fans may have to book a ticket to South Bend for all home games in 2017. Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick told ESPN that they may take a year off from the series:
"“In all likelihood we will not do one in ’17, because that’s the opening of the Crossroads and we want to maximize the number of home games, but we anticipate doing it in subsequent years. It’s been phenomenal. We have a lot of people who annually target that game and make it one where they get together with former classmates and really plan their years around it. It’s been good.”"
The Crossroads that Swarbrick is speaking of is a $400 million project that includes academic, athletic and lifestyle space around Notre Dame Stadium in an attempt to increase attraction for alumni and fans to come to South Bend.
Currently, the 2017 home football schedule for Notre Dame includes games against Temple, Georgia, Miami (OH), N.C. State, Wake Forest and Navy with one game left to schedule.
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