UNC weekend events draw season-high number of fans

Blue skies and “perfect weather” helped Notre Dame welcome season-high numbers of fans to football activities throughout the North Carolina game weekend, according to Mike Seamon, associate vice president for campus safety.

“For as bad of weather as it was for the Stanford game last week, it was the exact opposite this week, as it could not have been a more perfect day on Saturday for the UNC game,” Seamon said. “… As expected given the perfect weather, there were literally thousands of people who came to campus to enjoy the home football weekend atmosphere.

“We saw an uptick in the number of people on campus as we estimated about 110,000 were here to watch the game, visit the Grotto and the Basilica, go to the bookstore, hear the band play their pre-game concert on the Bond Hall steps, see the player walk to the stadium and tailgate before the game.”

Seamon said 6,150 fans took the tunnel tour at Notre Dame Stadium on Friday and 1,516 visited the LaBar Practice Complex, both of which amount to season records. He said 8,250 fans attended the pep rally, and the number of guests at Friday’s football luncheon remained consistent with 1,050 people in attendance.

Seamon said Notre Dame fans continued to represent the University and its football culture well by being “very welcoming to our guests and visitors from the opposing school."

“We've received numerous emails and letters from the North Carolina fans telling us how welcomed they felt when they visited campus,” he said. “That welcoming spirit by everyone on campus, including our students, is a testament of what it means to be part of the Notre Dame family.

“This welcoming attitude is one of the main reasons why the University has such a special and unique reputation as one of the top places in the country to watch a college football game.”

Notre Dame Security Police (NDSP) officers arrested nine individuals Saturday, according to NDSP Chief Phil Johnson.

“Three arrests were for public intoxication or public order related offenses,” he said. “Four people were arrested for shoplifting.

“One man was arrested for attempted theft and resisting law enforcement, and one man was arrested for public intoxication and possession of marijuana.”