Notre Dame Stadium Complex hosts a large number of events and activities throughout the year. Before the expansion project of 2017, it was a football stadium, but after the expansion, it has transformed into a hybrid facility that does a number of different activities. Here are some of the academics and events that the stadium hosts throughout the year.

• Football games
  • Game Day Operations
• Weddings
• Concerts
• Commencement
• Classes
• Offices
• Study Spaces
• University Events
• Special Events

Football Games

The main function of the Complex is for football games. The stadium hosts about half of the football team’s games during the fall football season. This often includes afternoon games as well as the occasional night game. 

Outside of the regular season, the football team uses the Complex to practice before games and to play their blue and gold game. The blue and gold game is an intersquad game to see who will get first team and who will be the back ups. This game is often played during the spring/summer time so that the team can practice and get ready for the upcoming season. 

The fall games would start near the start of the semester and last only through the fall semester for the football home season. Multiple departments are helping out during the game and following up to it as well. Some of these departments are: facilities and operations, events, athletics, and ticketing department. 

Game Day Operations

Some of the Game Day operations that the facility team does are:

• Safety Walks
• Security Sweeps
• Magnetometer Checks
• Facility Repairs
• Dock Management
• Elevator Programming
• Credential Sign Placement
• Walk Throughs
• Client Services

Safety Walks

Safety walks are done at different points in the week leading up to Game Day to make sure that the issues are taken care of, to reduce liability. Usually there is a safety walk for the interior of the stadium, that walks the concourses one day, and then an exterior walk that happens the day after. These safety walks are done to make sure that nothing will cause harm to anyone or that will disrupt the overall experience. 

On Game Day itself, there are safety walks to fix minor details that may have been missed or not taken care of. Usually if there is a big problem that is noted, it will either be taken care of right away, the Monday after, or during a section of bye weeks to allow the proper care that is needed for the problem. 

Security Sweeps

Security sweeps are done early in the morning of Game Day to allow proper care and protocol for anything that may happen. In the early morning, there are bomb sweeps in all the buildings that allow dogs to walk up and down the halls without any person interfering with them. After this, the magnetometers are then turned on and checked to make sure that they will work before workers and fans show up to the stadium. 

Magnetometer Checks

Magnetometers are installed during the week leading up to Game Day, usually the day before due to weather concerns. A company called Navarro comes and makes sure that all the mags are wired up and ready to go. They also make sure that the settings on the mags are not too high or not too low so that they work correctly. The mags are always in pairs and can be turned on or off depending on the number of mags that are being used. 

Facility Repairs

While the facility team does not deal with the repairs directly, they are responsible for being a line of communication about these problems. If there is a problem that arises that needs a professional or outside help to fix, then someone can call one member of the facility team and the facility member will call, or act appropriately to make sure that the problem is fixed. If the problem can not be fixed, then it will be noted and dealt with at another time. 

Dock Management

The dock manager is in charge of the dock during the week of Game Day. The dock manager is in charge of making sure that all vehicles that come into the dock have a smooth transition from drive in, to delivery, to drive out. While that is taking place, the dock manager also has to make sure that the dock landing is open enough for cargo to be brought in and moved around as well if needed. During the week, they will also help with other move-ins as needed for the other points in the stadium, if it pertains to them as well. Outside of all of that, they will also make sure that, in a security standpoint, that the dock is secured and that the only people that are accessing it are the appropriate ones. 

Elevator Programming

Elevator programming is done before the season and before each Game Day. Programming is done so that the elevators are open to contractors, guests, and other workers to access the floors that are needed during the week and during the event. Usually most floors are open during Game Day, such as the lower level, first, second, fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth floors for Duncan and Corbett, and first, third, fourth, and seventh of O’Neill. 

Credential Sign Placement

Credential sign placement is important because it allows other workers to know who is allowed where in different areas of the facility Complex. These signs are placed on the exteriors of areas to prevent people from entering these areas, unless they have the right credentials. Some of these areas include: 1842, seventh, eighth, and ninety floors, sixth floors, cross over doors, entry into Duncan/Corbett, and to the lower level of Duncan. 

Walk Throughs

Some walk-throughs that are done by the facility team are for the different buildings and the stadium. These walk throughs are done usually during the week when someone is walking to a meeting or during a security/safety walk. This allows the team to look and see what is wrong and get familiar with the Complex so that the mistakes can be noted and dealt with appropriately. 

Client Services

When it comes to client services, it is not usually guest services or anything like that. It means that if there is a problem during a game and a fan or contractor needs help, then a facility member will be able to come and help and use the appropriate response that is needed for the situation to fix it. 

Weddings

Weddings are a small event that takes place in the stadium Complex. People will often have weddings and have their wedding receptions in the stadium, using the seventh and maybe the eighth floors of either building. During the week there will be catering services and other contractors coming to the buildings and setting up their stations for the receptions. Facility staff are normally on call to help let contractors in or to open doors if needed. Usually the event staff are in charge and will make sure that everything will go according to plan, but  facilities will be on call for an emergency call if needed.

Concerts

Concerts are traditionally held during the summer months. Depending on scheduling and other factors, there will be at least one concert during that time. Prior to the concert, the concert crew will come in and help set up. This is because they have been in meetings and know how the concert is going to lay out. They will come in and the facilities staff will come in and act as support staff. 

Commencement

Commencement is a time after the spring semester where the graduating students all come together and sit in the stadium to graduate all together. The event takes place on the field of the stadium. The event has rows of chairs for the students and a stage for the leadership staff of the campus. The guests and family of the students all sit in the stands and watch on.

Classes

Some of the academic uses that the Complex has is holding classes and office spaces. The seventh floor of both Duncan and Corbett are used as classrooms during the week of the school semesters. The second to fifth floor of Corbett is used as office spaces and smaller classrooms. In O’Neill hall, the first, second, third, and fifth floors are all used as academics spaces for the music department. Some of these spaces include: classrooms, lecture halls, offices, practice rooms, and a library.

Offices

Office spaces are all over the Complex, in every part of it as well. These offices are home to different departments that work in the Complex that help run different parts of it or the campus as a whole.  

• Duncan Student Center
  • Lower Level
  • First Floor
  • Second Floor
  • Third Floor
  • Fifth Floor
• Corbett Family Hall
  • First Floor
  • Second Floor
  • Third Floor
  • Fourth Floor
  • Fifth Floor
• O’Neill Hall of Music
  • First Floor
  • Third Floor
  • Fifth Floor
  • Sixth Floor
• While in the stadium the offices are mainly on the lower concourse either in the north end, or in/by the cross over hallways.

Study Spaces 

Study spaces are also placed in different locations, whether they are a couch on a floor, or big rooms, there are multiple places for studying to happen at the Complex. Some places that students can study are:

• Duncan Student Center
  • First Floor
  • Second Floor
  • Fifth Floor
  • Seventh Floor (certain times)
• Corbett Family Hall
  • First Floor
  • Second Floor
  • Third Floor
  • Fourth Floor
  • Fifth Floor
  • Seventh Floor (certain times)
• O’Neill Hall of Music
  • First Floor
  • Third Floor
  • Fifth Floor
  • Sixth Floor

There is no official studying in the stadium, only in certain times and permissions are students allowed to study in the stadium. One exception was in the 2020-2021 school year, the lower concourse was open as a study hall for students to study and hang out due to COVID-19. This study hall was closed due to lack of interest and colder temperatures. 

University Events

Some of the university events that are held in the stadium Complex are, to name a few, Storm the Stadium, movies in the stadium, Flu Blitz, and stadium tours. These are events that are held in the stadium’s area and even though the stadium staff does not own the events, they work hand in hand with the event staff to make sure that the event is safe, ready, and enjoyable for the other people that are coming to it. 

Special Events

Special events happen throughout the year and not events that happen every year. For example, some events that have happened are: the Winter Classic, the Liverpool soccer match, and the CRU site. These have all been a one time event and are planned to either happen in the distant future or not at all again. 

O’Neill Hall of Music

Intro

O’Neill Hall of Music is located on the south end of Notre Dame Stadium. It is the home to both the music department on campus as well as a dual purpose on housing Gate C. The hall was made to encompass Gate C, which means that the first floor is also divided and the only way to get from one side to the other is either: stepping outside and going in the other door, or walking through a door that will lead you through Gate C and then walking through a door to get to the other side. Interesting fact is that O’Neill does not have an official second floor, yet there is access to get to the “second floor” through some stairs, it is only a viewing room for the certain places on the first floor. 

O’Neill Floor 1

Overview

O’Neill’s first floor main role is mainly recital halls and other large spaces. This is in part that there is less room because of Gate C. There is one of these rooms on both the west and east end of the building. Doors 9 and 10 are the only doors that will let you in the main part of O’Neill.

With its lack of space, O’Neill holds Gate C in it. Gate C has two sets of gates in the exterior gate and the interior gate. The interior gate is the original gate from before the 2017 expansion, where the exterior gate is newer and helps leave a secluded area. Interesting note, during the 2020-2021 school year, the area between these gates was used as a classroom for the sacred music classes since it was outdoors and spacious, which was required at the time because of COVID-19. 

O’Neill Floor 3

Overview

The third floor of O’Neill is home to their own library. This library has mainly material about sacred music and other types of music history and information. Along with the library being there, there are some office spaces that are used by faculty and staff that work there. The library holds different books on music. These books hold music from different time periods and different genres. This library is mainly used for the music department students. 

Check out the Music Department website: Music Department Website. 

Check out the Music Library website: Music Library Website  

Foley’s (O’Neill Floor 4)

Overview

Foleys is a restaurant that is located on the fourth floor of O’Neill Hall. Foleys can be entered from either the upper concourse or through the elevators on the first floor, both of which need card access. The south club is divided up into different sections. There is the main hallway that leads you from the elevators, down the hall, and has access to the upper concourse. The first area that is on your right in the hallway is the bar area, followed by different seating areas throughout the restaurant. Further down the hall there is the kitchen area. One part of Foley’s is the bar area which is located on the west most part of the restaurant, which is called Joe’s Bar. 

O’Neill Floor 5&6

Overview

The main purpose of the fifth and sixth floors are that they are classrooms, offices, and practice rooms for the Music Department on campus. The practice rooms are rooms where instruments and singing can be done that won’t interrupt other people in the building. These rooms are designed to be able to block sound but also to make it so that the people inside them won’t lose their hearing as well. 

Corbett Family Hall 

Intro

Corbett Family Hall is located on the east side of Notre Dame Stadium. Corbett is primarily used for department offices and classrooms and the home to Martin Media. The first floor is where Martin media is located in the north end of the building, while the south end has a classroom and study space. The second floor is home to Anthropology, while the third to fifth floor is home to the Psychology department. Sixth floor is storage, just like in DSC, and the seventh, eighth, and ninth floors are press boxes, preferred seating for football games. During football games, spectators will enter through door 3, which is on the north end, and door 4 which is on the south end.

Corbett Floor 1

Overview

Corbett’s first floor holds the role of having Martin media which is located in the north end of the building, while the south end has a classroom and study space. The central part of Corbett first floor is an area for offices that can be accessed primarily through the north end of the building. Corbett’s first floor is unique because the north and south side does not have an easy way of moving back and forth, like in DSC. 

Martin Media

This is the main media broadcasting center for the stadium. This is the location where students can learn how to board cast as well as broadcast events in the stadium. The main area that Martin Media is located in is in Corbett first floor north side. For more information about Martin Media Center, check out their link: Martin Media Center Website.

Corbett Floor 2

Overview

Corbett’s second floor holds the role of hosting the Anthropology department. The Anthropology department on the second floor is home to different labs, offices, study spaces, classrooms, and other needs that the department has for them. For more information about Anthropology or the department, check out their website: Anthropology Department Website. 

Corbett Floor 3, 4, 5

Overview

Corbett’s third, fourth, and fifth floors hold the Psychology department. The Psychology department is then subdivided into the different floors with different parts of psychology on each floor. The third floor is mainly cognitive psychology, the fourth floor is mainly behavioral psychology, and the fifth floor is mainly a mixture of relationship and other forms of psychology. For more information about the Psychology department check out their website: Psychology Department Website. 

Corbett Floor 7 – Downes Ballroom

Overview

Downes Ballroom is similar to Dahnke Ballroom. It is a long hallway with a big great area where weddings, class, and premium seating for football take place. Downes does not have a broadcast room and has a more open construct, which is different from Dahnke. There are terraces at either end and multiple doors that lead to the premium outdoor seating. 

Corbett Floor 8 – Hank Family Forum

Overview

Hank Family Forum is similar to the Ramus Club, except it does not have an indoor premium seating area. This is because there was no pressbox when it was being built before the expansion in 2017. This Forum offers plenty of room for socializing and a balcony to look into the Downes Ballroom. This is usually for high priority members that are not exactly tied to Notre Dame. This is a great area for mingling and watching events. Some of the stuff that you can find on this floor are: leather arm chairs, barstool chairs, and maybe bar carts during Game Day and leading up to it. 

Corbett Level 9 – Seven on Nine/Press box Area

Overview

Seven on Nine is the premium seating area for the ninth floor of Corbett Hall. The north side has premium seating and premium boxes for opposing team visitors. The remaining area on the ninth floor is dedicated to media and stats. The stats and media is a long hallway that is tiered off so that no one is in the way of people behind them. This allows for the most viewing of the field, which is very important for their job.

Duncan Student Center

Intro

Duncan Student Center is the building located on the west side of Notre Dame Stadium. DSC holds a lot of different venues on its many floors that are catered to different groups of people. Some of the venues that are held are: restaurants, recreational and sport exercise, student lounges and study rooms, storage and office spaces, and hospitality suites. Down below is DSC divided up into the different floors and a brief rundown of what each floor consists of. The seventh, eighth, and ninth floors are for premium seats during football games. Spectators can enter through door 14, on the south end, or through door 17, on the north end, to get to their seats.

Duncan Floor 1

Overview

Duncan’s first floor holds the role of a student hang out and restaurant area. Starting from the south side of DSC, there is a student hangout area with a welcome desk where students can work at. Past the welcome desk there is a set of four elevators. In the set of elevators there are two express ones that will only go to the first, seventh, eighth, and ninth floors. The other two elevators go to all the floors except the sixth one. Past the elevators is the first restaurant, Star Ginger. Between the restaurant and the welcome desk is a hallway where the service elevator and crossover doors are located to get into the stadium. Right next to Star Ginger, there is the entrance to 1842. 

Heading north, to your left you will see a wide open space with a smaller version of the big screen and a set of bleachers. This area is a gathering spot for students to study, hangout, and eat. The big screen can show broadcasting, HDMI streamed, or mimic what the big screen out in the stadium to show. 

Continuing down the hall to your right, there is another restaurant called “Modern Market”, with the service hallway right next to it. On the other side of the wall is another restaurant that is called “Hagerty Cafe” as well as a big seating area and a stage for presenting. 

Duncan Floor 2

Overview

Duncan’s second floor holds the role of being a lounge area for undergraduate and graduate level students. The graduate level lounge is located on the south end of the building and holds a smaller part compared to the undergraduate lounge area that is located on the rest of the floor. One neat feature of the second floor is that it is on the same level as the floor of the rock wall. On the south end of the floor there is the office for student housing.

Duncan Floor 3&4

Overview

Duncan’s third and fourth floors hold the role of the student recreational facility. The third floor is where most of the activity happens, while the fourth floor is dedicated as a running track. The third floor has basketball courts, weight lifting, rock climbing, body weight exercises, stair climber, and many more different exercises that people can do. 

The fourth floor also holds the purpose of having the two cross over doors on the north and south end of the building to get to the upper concourse of the stadium. The fourth floor also doubles as a viewing area for the different activities on the third floor. Also there are sections of the fourth floor where someone can step off the track and do some activities like yoga, core exercises, or stretching. 

Duncan Floor 5

Overview

Duncan’s fifth floor holds the role of being a lounge and interview rooms for students. The interview rooms can be used in a variety of different ways. They first have to be reserved, then that individual can conduct interview practices, or do actual interviews via video web call or in person. It has the same concept as the second floor in that it is divided between graduate level areas and under graduate level areas. The south side is for the graduate level while the rest of the hall is for undergraduates. 

Duncan Floor 7- Dahnke Ballroom

Overview

Dahnke Ballroom is a multi purpose area. The ballroom can be used as a classroom, to a wedding reception area, to a luxury space on football game days. Premium seating is located outside as well as on the terrace at either side of the hallway. In the middle of the hallway there is the broadcast room (W709). During game day, there are bar carts layed out in different locations. These locations might include outlets and other special assistance that each bar cart might need.

Duncan Floor 8 – Rasmus Club

Overview

Rasmus Club is a premium seat area for football games. It is located above Dahnke Ballroom and has a balcony overlooking the main area as well. There is premium seating both outside and inside. In the middle of the floor there are rows of premium seating that are staged in front of windows that can be raised or lowered during games. These seats give the spectators the feel of watching a football game while being indoors. 

Duncan Level 9 – Southwest Nine/Operations Hall/President’s Suites

Overview

Duncan 9 has many to offer with the multiple spaces that it accommodates. First there is Southwest Nine, which is premium seating for certain people. Next to them is where different operations, such as coaches, campus safety, big screen operators, and media outlets operate in their own rooms. Next to them is the President’s box and guests of the president. On the other side of the President’s Box is Nine North, which houses the suites for the Athletic Director. On either side of the ninth floor there are terraces. 

Father John’s Box (President’s Box)

The president’s box is at the very far north end of the ninth floor of DSC. The president’s box consists of a large suite style area that is divided into two sections by a wall, partially forward, which separates the room into two sections, the president’s suite and the guests of the president. 

The president’s box is separated from the other areas by two doors on either end that represents the different areas. On the north end of the box, there are the athletic director’s boxes. The AD has two boxes, one for the AD and one for the guests of the AD.