Notre Dame Blue-Gold Spring Football Game 2013

This blog is entirely about beer. I wanted to make a first exception and talk about the 84th Notre Dame Football Spring Blue-Gold game. Why? When I was looking for information on the web leading up to the game, I did not find as much as I wanted.

This year's game was on Saturday, April 20, 2013. We purchased tickets to the team brunch before the game. These tickets get you access to the team brunch, and if you can get your ticket quick enough, a player sits at your table with you. The brunch tickets also get you early access to a team autograph session (which is later joined by Kid's Club members). The brunch ticket is also a ticket to the game. The game is general admission, although there are some special, limited press box seats and lower tier gold seats that are not part of the general admission.

The brunch was at the Joyce Center next to the stadium. Leave some extra time to find the brunch, because the Joyce Center is very big with multiple entrances and it can take awhile to find the entrance gate for the brunch. Don't expect to get a hugely filling brunch. There is a decent spread, but there just isn't time. Unfortunately, we did not have a player at our table, and by the time we were in line filling our plates, the autograph session was starting. They need to leave a little more time so everyone attending has a chance to eat something before the autographs start. Overall, it was a good experience, but I'm not sure I would get brunch tickets again unless I was getting a player guaranteed table.

The autograph session was fine, but don't expect much personal contact, it works on an assembly line process with long lines, especially for the most popular players.  At least they do keep those lines moving.

There were over 31,000 people at the game and it was, I believe, the fifth largest crowd for a spring game. This despite the fact that it was windy and cold, about 34 degrees or so when the game started. But at least the sun was shining. If you have kids, it is definitely worth joining the Notre Dame Kid's Club, you get four tickets to the game (plus access to many other sport events if you live in or regularly visit South Bend), a t-shirt, a lanyard, a certificate and membership card, access to the autograph session, and post game access to the field (expect a big line for this), all for thirty dollars.

On a side note, in walking around the stadium on Friday, we ran into ESPN's Jesse Palmer, Joe Tessitore and Notre Dame ESPN blogger Matt Fortuna as they exited the stadium.

Of course, some beer was consumed. There was a growler of the very nice Caneblade Double India Pale Ale from the Backpocket Brewery in Coralville, Iowa. I was able to try the tasty Rye of the Tiger India Pale Ale from the Great Lakes Brewing Company while staying in South Bend. I was also able to pick up quite a few Indiana beers to take home, including some Three Floyds. On the way back, I got to drink from a tasty growler of Space IPA by Half Acre, and also take home some of their Tomten and Ginger Twin.

Touchdown Jesus

Brian Kelly leads the team into the brunch.

Louis Nix - "Irish Chocolate"

Tommy Rees

Manti Teo

Michael Floyd and Kapron Lewis Moore (in green)