Notre Dame installs fence before Miami game
The university cites crowd management, but fans question the timing of the new barrier near Eddy Street.
By Samuel Hayes ·
The University of Notre Dame erected a fence at Angela Boulevard and Eddy Street this week. It stands between the campus and Eddy Street Commons, a strip of bars and restaurants. This is the first time the school has used such a barrier. The No. 1 Miami Hurricanes play the No. 4 Fighting Irish on Saturday night.
Mike Seamon, the university's vice president for operations, events, and safety, explained the decision to WNDU. He said the fence addresses high pedestrian volume expected Friday and Saturday. The school projects more than 140,000 visitors on campus. Seamon advised fans to expect a very crowded environment.
Some Miami fans doubt the official reason. Glenn Rice, a retired police officer from Hialeah, paid $1,700 for two tickets. He told the Miami New Times that the school is scared of Miami fans. Rice is now reconsidering his plan to wear an orange shirt on the plane. He worries the outfit might cause issues with security.
The fence will likely remain in place for the rest of the home season. Campus access will be restricted on Friday. South Bend police will patrol Eddy Street Commons. Restaurants in that area must close by midnight. That curfew follows a September shooting near Notre Dame Stadium that injured two people, including one police officer.
Social media reactions were quick. An Instagram reel about the fence drew many comments. One user described the matchup as Catholics vs Convicts part two. Another predicted a riot if the student body loses to Miami. Some Notre Dame fans called the fence long overdue. One commenter suggested the fence would not stop a cold.
The nickname dates to 1988. Notre Dame students sold shirts mocking coach Jimmy Johnson's team. The Irish won that game 31-30 and captured the national title. The rivalry became a cultural touchstone and later an ESPN documentary. Miami is undefeated at 8-0. Notre Dame stands at 7-1. The Canes beat the Irish 27-24 in last year's season opener.
The game will include a tribute to Lou Holtz, who coached Notre Dame in 1988. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, Nov. 7, on NBC. The stadium is sold out. Rice says he will attend the game whether or not he wears the orange shirt.
