Upgrades to ND stadium play key role in modern game day fan experience

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - “Fifty years ago, what you’re seeing behind us now you can’t see the old stadium at all,” said Dave Majerek, a Notre Dame Fan.

A 50 year fan Dave Majerek says it’s not the same stadium he grew up visiting.

“Small scoreboard and everything was announced,” said Majerek.

But that the recent upgrades are every game day fan’s dream. After 87 years, the Notre Dame football stadium recently saw hundreds of millions of dollars worth of upgrades, including making what you share that much easier.

“Back then, it was what you saw was what you saw and it was over. If there was something funny you didn’t get a chance to tape it or see it again,” said Majerek.

The university partnered with Verizon to bring to the stadium a completely upgraded D.A.S., or distributed antenna system this year for top notch cell service. Something Dave says is key for the tens of thousands of fans that visit every home game.

“To be honest, the last few years you really couldn’t upgrade anything, you couldn’t event text anybody. You know my brother would be across the stadium, send me a text, I’d be walking out of the stadium, get a text and it was about a play that happened in the second quarter,” said Majerek.

And all of what’s allowing this is hidden around the stadium. Each antenna covers hundreds of fans at a time closest to it.

“’Hey I’m at Notre Dame, here’s my view’, and then boom it’s on Facebook, everybody you know sees it right then,” said Majerek.

Think of it like traffic. The stadium just went from a 2 lane highway to a 6 lane highway to avoid those jams, but whatever the way, Dave says it’s just another reason to carry on tradition and share it too.

“Fifty years ago, you never would imagine, never would imagine,” said Majerek.