Fan Fest changes: what and why?

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - You’ll probably notice some changes to Fan Fest this year. ABC 57 walks you through what they are and why they’re happening.

Players are prepped for kickoff, so Notre Dame wants to make sure their cheerleaders are feelin’ the love too—with a new Fan Fest experience.

“We’re really excited about it. Because of the construction going on in the north dome, we’re going to be up here on the second floor concourse of the Joyce Center, so we’re going to incorporate the entire concourse into the fan fest this year…As we’re standing here in Heritage Hall , you use the history of Notre Dame athletics, so we’re going to incorporate that into fan fest, and as you walk around the entire concourse, it shows a history of the Joyce Center,” said SVP for Notre Dame Sports Properties, Erik Haag.

Now, instead of being packed into one room, fans have 360 degrees of activities to get pumped up.

Plus, there’s a gym downstairs for fan favorites, like field-goal-kicking and the forty-yard dash.

“We want to create a good experience for our fans. Some people come out and have their traditional tailgates, but there are so many people who come to campus for the first time, and they don’t necessarily have a staged tailgate, and they’re looking for things to do, so it’s an alternative for them. A lot of families come up to just to experience the campus before kickoff,” said Haag.

Haag says construction should be completed on the North Dome basketball courts by 2018.