Aug. 7, 2009

Notre Dame, Ind. – Despite ongoing construction at the Joyce Center, Notre Dame Football Luncheons on home football Fridays will continue in the north dome (fieldhouse) and Friday night pep rallies will be held at a variety of campus locations during the 2009 season.

The traditional season-opening Dillon Hall Pep Rally, normally held the Thursday before the first game, will be moved to 6:30 p.m. EDT, on Friday, Sept. 4, in front of Dillon Hall on the South Quad of the University of Notre Dame campus. Head coach Charlie Weis, the ’09 Irish football squad and the Band of the Fighting Irish will be in attendance.

A student-only rally is slated for Thursday, Sept. 10, at Stepan Center prior to Notre Dame’s first road game Sept. 12 at Michigan. All Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross students are invited to attend. Weis and a contingent of players will be part of that event.

The Notre Dame-USC rally on Oct. 16 will be held at a location to be determined, possibly in Notre Dame Stadium.

The Notre Dame-Connecticut rally Nov. 20, prior to the final Irish home game, will be held in the new Purcell Pavilion on the arena side (south dome) of the Joyce Center.

Four other Friday pep rallies – Sept. 18 (Michigan State), Oct. 2 (Washington), Oct. 23 (Boston College) and Nov. 6 (Navy) – will be held outdoors at the new hospitality village at the Irish Green, south of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center on the very south edge of campus.

Dubbed “Rally on the Green,” these rallies also will begin at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time.

The hospitality village located on Irish Green will be in operation from 3:00-7:15 p.m. Friday and 10:00 a.m.-kickoff Saturday for each Notre Dame home football game.

The area will be free and open to the public. It will feature entertainment on a main stage (including bands and speakers), plus roaming “kid-friendly” entertainment around the grounds. Food and beverages (including beer) will be available for purchase – and Follett’s and other vendors will be on site.

All pep rallies are free of charge. Outdoor rallies are subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.

The Nevada, USC and Connecticut rallies will include the entire Irish squad, while the four “Rally on the Green” events will include representation from several Notre Dame players and/or coaches per week.

The Friday Notre Dame Kickoff Luncheons are slated for noon Eastern time on Sept. 4 (Nevada) and 18 (Michigan State), Oct. 2 (Washington), 16 (USC) and 23 (Boston College), and Nov. 6 (Navy) and 20 (Connecticut).

Tickets are $23 each and can be ordered by writing to Athletics Business Office, 112 Joyce Center, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 456556. Checks can be made payable to University of Notre Dame. There is a $3 handling fee per order. Deadline for reservations is Aug. 14. There are 10 seats per table.

Irish head coach Charlie Weis, a combination of Irish players and assistant coaches, and other special guests will be in attendance.