On Saturday night, and in the build-up through this week, Dublin will be taken over by the buzz and excitement of having Notre Dame and Navy in town for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
Sport for Business will be highlighting the ways in which each of the multiple commercial partners are making their presence felt though the greatest benefit is in the soft power that emanates from involvement with some of the most powerful commercial and political bonds that sport can tie together.
To kick off our final countdown to the game here is an introduction to the two teams and to their place in the traditions of College Football
Notre Dame
The History
Notre Dame’s first football game dates back to November 23rd, 1887, when ‘The Fighting Irish’ took on Michigan. Unfortunately, Michigan won 8-0 in a low-scoring fixture. The Notre Dame band was in attendance at this game, making it one of the nation’s oldest football bands.
Although Notre Dame lost their first football game, it didn’t take long for them to find their winning ways. By 2023, the school has a win-loss record of 882-320.
Notre Dame’s athletic teams are often referred to as ‘The Fighting Irish’. This expression was accepted by the University President at the time, Rev. Matthew Walsh, as the official nickname of Notre Dame in 1927.
There are several different stories describing how this nickname first came about. The most popular explanation is that the term was first coined by the press, who characterised Notre Dame athletic teams as ‘The Fighting Irish’ due to their never-say-die fighting spirit, along with their Irish qualities of grit, determination, and tenacity.
Notre Dame boasts a total of 11 consensus National Championships, nine of which were achieved in the poll era that began in 1936.
In the poll era, teams are ranked throughout the season and a National Champion is crowned. Notre Dame has the second-most National Championships in the poll era, only Alabama has more.
Some of college football’s best coaches have been part of Notre Dame Football, including coaching legends Knute Rockne and Lou Holtz, who both had over 100 wins as head coaches of Notre Dame Football.
Knute Rockne remains a legendary figure in the college football scene, as he spent 13 years with Notre Dame Football and finished his coaching career with a 105-12-5 win, loss and tie record.
Aside from coaching, Notre Dame boasts a star-studded list of football stars. The Heisman Trophy is an annual award presented to the best player in college football, and no college has more Heisman Trophy winners than Notre Dame; seven Notre Dame Football players have won this prestigious accolade.
Notre Dame Football play their home games at Notre Dame Stadium, which is located in South Bend, Indiana. The stadium was originally built in 1930. In 1997 the stadium was expanded from a seating capacity of 59,079 seats to 80,795 seats.
‘The Fighting Irish’ play 12 games in their college football regular season. Seven of these games will be played at their home stadium. The Notre Dame Stadium isn’t exclusive to American Football; this iconic football stadium has also hosted events such as the NHL Winter Classic, a soccer match between Liverpool FC and Borussia Dortmund, and concerts from country music star Garth Brooks.
From Notre Dame to the NFL
Notre Dame has produced some of the best talent that pro football has ever seen. From legendary figures like four-time Super Bowl Champion Joe Montana to Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis- Notre Dame knows how to create footballing legends.
Building on Last Season
Notre Dame finished last season with a 9-4 record. ‘The Fighting Irish’ also wrapped up their 2022 season with a thrilling 45-38 Gator Bowl victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks, in the neutral stadium of TIAA BANK Field in Jacksonville, Florida, the home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, on Friday, December 30th.
This was Coach Freeman’s first trophy as head coach of Notre Dame Football. There’s no doubt this victory will give his squad a boost as they head into the 2023 season.
Navy
History
Students at the United States Naval Academy are midshipmen on active duty in the U.S. Navy. Students attend the Naval Academy for four years, graduating with Bachelor of Science degrees and commissions as Ensigns (lowest rank of commissioned officer) in the Navy or Second Lieutenants in the Marine Corps. Naval Academy graduates serve at least five years in the Navy or Marine Corps.
Initially, American football was prohibited on campus at the Naval Academy. In the 1870s, the sport was known as “mob football” and was incredibly dangerous to play as there were very few rules along with no protective equipment, so injuries were a common occurrence.
In 1879, two midshipmen first-classmen J.H. Robinson and first-classman William Maxwell added rules from other sports like rugby and soccer to make the game safer to participate in.
On December 11, 1879, Navy Football played their first-ever American Football game against the Baltimore Athletic Club. Navy wore a sleeveless canvas jacket that laced down the front, which made it harder for their opponents to grab Navy’s players. This design has often been referred to as American Football’s first uniform.
A huge game on the Navy Football calendar is the Army vs Navy game. This rivalry was launched in November 1890, and the teams have met annually since the 1930s.
The fixture is often dubbed ‘America’s Game’ as the match features two service academies, the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen, that go head-to-head for football bragging rights over one another.
A special moment of comradery and respect between the two sides is on display at the end of the game as the winning team and the losing team come together in unity to sing in front of the losing team’s fans and vice versa. This match-up between the two service academies is a celebration of American military history.
Navy’s Home Turf
The Naval Academy plays its home football games at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium located in Annapolis, Maryland.
The stadium has a seating capacity of 35,000 and has been the home of Navy Football for over six decades.
Each season Navy Football will play 12 regular season football games, with a number of these fixtures played at their home stadium. The Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium isn’t limited to hosting football matches.
The stadium is also home to Navy’s lacrosse team and hosts several regional and state tournaments. Every August, the stadium transforms into the home of the Annapolis Crab Fest!
From Navy Football to the NFL
The first Navy player to be drafted into the National Football League (NFL) was Jim Carrington back in 1947. A number of Navy Football players have followed in Carrington’s footsteps in their journey to the NFL. Most notably:
Roger Staubach (quarterback) – played for the Navy Midshipmen from 1963-1965 before he progressed to the NFL, where he won two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys. In 1985, Staubach was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Ed Sprinkle (defensive end) – transferred to the Naval Academy in 1943 and impressed. Moved on to the NFL where he spent 12 seasons with the Chicago Bears and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.
Joe Cardona (long-snapper) – played with Navy Football from 2011-2014 before being selected in the 2015 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Cardona is currently entering his eighth season in the NFL whilst also managing a career as an officer in the Navy reserve.
Building on Last Season
Navy’s 2022 football season came to a close with a 4-8 (win-loss) record .
The 2023 football season marks a new era for Navy Football as the team embarks on a fresh season with newly appointed Head Coach Brian Newberry. Newberry’s love for American Football is undeniable! He played defensive back for the Baylor Bears in college before getting his first taste of coaching with Southern Arkansas in 1999 as defensive backs and wide receivers coach. Newberry joined the Navy Midshipmen in 2019 as defensive coordinator and transformed the Navy defense.
The 2023 Aer Lingus College Football Classic will be Coach Newberry’s first game as Head Coach of Navy Football.
“There really couldn’t be a better way to kick off the year than to do it in Dublin against Notre Dame Football,” – said Navy Football Head Coach Brian Newberry at a recent press conference.
