College football: Irish discuss games in N.J.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN
Star-Ledger Staff
Officials with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and the University of Notre Dame are in discussions about the Fighting Irish playing annually at Giants Stadium.

George Zoffinger, chief executive of the state agency that operates the stadium, and John Heisler, Notre Dame's associate athletic director, said the discussions are in the early phase and contingent on the NCAA expanding the regular season to 12 games. But both sides expressed a desire to have the South Bend, Ind., school playing in the highest-profile stadium in the country's biggest market as often as possible.


"I don't know if it would be every year. It's still in the early discussion stage," Heisler said. "But we have had ongoing discussions (with the Meadowlands) for some time."

For the sports authority, getting Notre Dame to play in Giants Stadium annually would represent a major coup. Notre Dame, the most storied team in college football, has a huge following in New Jersey and New York among the many alumni and fans.

"We've been very successful with Notre Dame in the past, and we're very anxious to expand the relationship if the season goes to 12 games," Zoffinger said. "This is an opportunity to get a top-flight school in New Jersey on a regular basis."

For Notre Dame, playing in New Jersey regularly offers a variety of advantages. The school has a history of recruiting top players from the state. The school's new coach, Jersey guy Charlie Weis, would see showcasing his team in his native state as a way to mine a region rich with talent.

Also, Notre Dame is a member of the Big East Conference in every sport except football, and while it has no intention of joining the league for football, it is interested in expanding its involvement with the league.

"Given our relationship with the Big East, we're intent on playing more football games against Big East teams," Heisler said.

The games at Giants Stadium, however, would not be exclusively against Big East teams, and might include the military academies.

For now, all the plans are contingent on expanding the regular season to 12 games. Currently the schools can play 12 games only when there are 14 Saturdays from the Saturday before Labor Day to the end of November. That last happened in 2003. The NCAA will vote on the measure in April, though it is unclear when it will take effect if it passes.

Notre Dame has played and won at Giants Stadium 11 times since it opened in 1976. The games have never attracted fewer than 61,795 fans to the 79,000-seat stadium.