Few college football programs, if any, bask in more tradition than the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. But even Notre Dame can't say no to money.
Notre Dame announced this week that SoFi will serve as the official jersey patch sponsor for the South Bend, Indiana football program. The Fighting Irish and SoFi launched a multi-year partnership, worth close to $20 million per season, according to reports.
“Our ‘4 for Forever’ promise at Notre Dame is paramount to providing the best student-athlete experience in the country,” said Pete Bevacqua, University of Notre Dame Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics. “SoFi shares in this commitment to developing strong, ambitious leaders who are set up for success at Notre Dame and beyond. Together, our relationship will create lasting value for our student-athletes and their families for generations to come.”
The white "SoFi" patch will appear in the top left of Notre Dame's jerseys.
Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
Anthony Noto, CEO of SoFi, is excited.
“Notre Dame has spent generations developing champions in the classroom and on the field,” said Anthony Noto, CEO of SoFi. “The grit, discipline and determination of Notre Dame’s student-athletes reflect the same ambition we see in our members every day. We are proud to partner with Notre Dame Athletics to help inspire the next generation and create opportunities that will shape their financial futures.”
ESPN's Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo blasts Notre Dame for breaking tradition
Russo said that Notre Dame should be better than Ohio State when it comes to this kind of thing. Ohio State announced earlier this week that it will have a jersey patch from JP Morgan Chase.
“What Notre Dame is doing right now with this patch with SoFi and getting 18 million dollars. Let Ohio State do it,” Russo said. “Who cares about Ohio State? Ohio State, they’re a football factory. We understand Ohio State. They’re great, but it’s a football factory. That’s what Ohio State is. They do things like that. Notre Dame, there’s more of an accountability. It’s the Fighting Irish. It’s Knute Rockne. It’s 1934. It’s Lou Holtz. It’s everybody.”
“This is Notre Dame!” Russo continued, while screaming at old-timey Notre Dame highlights. “This right here! This is Notre Dame football! South Bend! National champion! This is what I’m referring to!.. And they’re gonna sit there and wear that asinine SoFi patch because of a couple of dollars? There’s the stupid patch! Enough of the patch!
“The same Notre Dame that did nothing but scream and yell last year of how they got buried with the [College Football Playoff] committee not getting into the top-12, which they shouldn’t have gotten in. The committee did a great job! They moaned and groaned about that, and so to pay us back, they’re going to wear a patch and get paid $18 million! Give me a break! I’m embarrassed, and I have a daughter who went to Notre Dame!”
If Notre Dame wants to compete for titles, though, this is the kind of thing it has to do. Players cost money - a lot of money - these days.
