Notre Dame Stadium Prepared For The 21st Century
By Andrew Hall
The Campus Crossroads Project completely alters the game day experience at Notre Dame Stadium for Notre Dame fans
The classic feel of surroundings provides the charm of Notre Dame Stadium (and the University, in general). The drawbacks of the vintage environment are old trough urinals, wooden benches and no video board providing instant replays. The Crossroads Project changed all of that.
Along with space for classrooms, student unions and other academic space, the gameday experience improved drastically. Notre Dame added screens on the concourse, improved bathrooms and more 1930s style decor.
The video board is the crowing jewel of the football remodel. The video board provides a better home field advantage and an easier spectator experience. The “New & Gold” scrimmage showed what fans missed over the past 20 years since these screens came into vogue: instant replays. Many fans said to the fan next to them, “Did you see what happened there?” Or more recently, when a play was under official review, fans had to guess at what they saw or call a friend who happened to be at home in front of the television.
The most underrated part of upgrades are the seating. Fans know that if their ticket listed a lower bowl placement they would be packed in sardines. The new seating expands the room available for each person.
Overall, the University did a great job at improving the stadium and bringing it into the 21st Century. However, they made an excellent effort at trying to maintain the original feel and look of the stadium. The 1930s decor really adds to the vintage feel that most Notre Dame fans love. Some old school visitors may bemoan the new video board or the ribbons along the press boxes. But, they should not. This is the best of both worlds.