Monday Musings: How has Notre Dame Football built its iconic brand?
By Ben Belden
Notre Dame Football is one of America’s most iconic sports teams. How did the Irish get there and how does the program maintain that status?
Last week, Colin Cowherd discussed which teams had the biggest brands in American sports. In Cowherd’s top 10, Notre Dame Football came in 6th among all college and professional teams. According to Cowherd, the Irish are the top-ranked brand in college football, and no other college football team fell in the top 10. Duke basketball was the only other non-professional brand.
So that begs the question: How did Notre Dame become such an established and well-recognized brand?
A 2013 article by Forbes Magazine laid out a few reasons: First, Notre Dame has always been notorious for taking risks with its football program. Next, the Irish Notre Dame represents the American Dream. Finally, the Irish have stayed true to their culture at all costs.
A Program of Risk-Takers
Americans love college football. Thanks largely to their independence, the Notre Dame football program is one of the country’s best-traveled. Their willingness to get outside their comfort zone and travel from New York to Los Angeles and everywhere in-between has resulted in quite a few eyes seeing Notre Dame play throughout the years.
The article details a specific game from November 1, 1913. Notre Dame traveled to New York to upset Army 35-13.
In the win, the Irish utilized a little something called the “forward pass.” The game plan was developed by two Notre Dame players the summer before. One of those men was former Irish quarterback Charles “Gus” Dorais. The other: A guy by the name of Knute Rockne. In their spare time from lifeguarding at Ohio’s Cedar Point, the two practiced. Dorias practiced his passing. Rockne practiced catching the ball with his hands instead of his torso. Together, they developed a game plan they planned to use against the bigger, more talented Army team.
The American Dream
At the time of the game, New York was the city with the second-most Irish-born men outside of Dublin. If a team was going to pull off an upset of Army, it was only fitting that it would be a team nicknamed the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame’s improbable win was symbolic of the improbable odds many of these immigrants faced in coming to America.
As the article says, “The majority of these immigrants weren’t educated past grade school, and could only dream of one day sending their children to college in America. It was only fitting then that the University of Notre Dame would become part of that American Dream.”
On the football field, the Irish helped revolutionize the game. Off the field, Notre Dame became a symbol of hopes and aspirations.
Staying true to the culture
Notre Dame football has always had one mission: To produce outstanding student-athletes. Regardless of winning and losing, the Irish have always found a way to do just that.
Despite the arms race of college football, the Irish have stayed the course. It’s no secret that the Irish haven’t been able to attract the top talent that other schools have. It’s also no secret that Notre Dame often holds its student its student-athletes to a higher standard than other universities. Notre Dame is different: It doesn’t answer to the calls of the masses.
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Notre Dame has never wavered in its mission. That is what has made it–and kept it–as college football’s greatest and most iconic brand.