Shaded Seats at Notre Dame Stadium

Notre Dame Stadium is one of college football’s most cherished and iconic sports venues. Primarily the home field for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, the stadium is famed for its rich history and high-energy atmosphere. South Bend is a four-season city and fans attending games later in the season might seek sunny spots to stay warm, while those attending sunnier fall games might look for shade. This guide will help by identifying the shaded seats at Notre Dame Stadium.

Where Are the Seats in the Shade and Sun at Notre Dame Stadium?

As a general rule, the seats in the shade at Notre Dame Stadium:

• South End Zone: First area to become shaded
• West Sideline: Mid-afternoon shade on the Fighting Irish’s home side

And the seats in the sun at Notre Dame Stadium are mainly:

• East Sideline: Sun soaked on the away team’s side
• North End Zone: Sunny for most of the day

Fighting Irish games at Notre Dame Stadium usually kick off locally at 3:30 PM or 7:30 PM with a rare other time occasionally mixed in. For specific details about shaded sections at different start times, please continue reading.

Notre Dame Stadium Orientation to the Sun

Notre Dame Stadium is oriented north to south. By noon, the sun is high in the sky over the southeast corner near the end zone. Over the course of the afternoon, it curves and dips behind the west side of the stadium, where it eventually sets. This configuration generally makes the west side of the stadium the “shade side,” while the east and north sides are the sunny spots.

The graphic below shows the approximate hour-by-hour position of the sun throughout the day on September 1st.

See an interactive seating chart for the next event at Notre Dame Stadium

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Early Afternoon Notre Dame Stadium Games

Notre Dame Stadium is unique in that it includes three campus buildings attached to it: the Duncan Student Center, O’Neill Hall, and Corbett Family Hall. In addition to housing some premium seating, these buildings create a physical barrier that provides some early-day shade in adjacent sections.

On the rare occasion that the Fighting Irish kick off early in the afternoon, the sun is high and shade is relatively sparse. Between noon and about 2:00 PM, the sun floats across the sky over the south end zone. Some seats in Sections 116-122 will be shaded, thanks to O’Neill Hall blocking the sun’s rays from behind. Seats in nearly every other part of the stadium will spend most of an early afternoon game in the sun, as Notre Dame Stadium does not have any roofs or canopies, so there is nothing between the sun and the seats.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Late Afternoon and Evening Notre Dame Stadium Games

When the Fighting Irish kick off at 3:30 PM, there is quite a bit more shade, and finding it becomes more predictable. At the start of a mid-afternoon game, the sun is making its descent behind the west (home) side of the stadium. Shade seekers should focus on Sections 24-32 and 125-131. By this hour, the sun is low enough in the sky that the Duncan Student Center casts a shadow over nearly all seats adjacent to it.

The sunniest seats are on the east (away team) side of the stadium. Sections 4-15 and 104-115 are sun-soaked at the start of a mid-afternoon game. As the game plays on, the shade line will cross the field and begin covering seats on the east side from lowest to highest. Field-level seats will become shaded first, followed by the upper-level sections, and finally Corbett Family Hall.

If you’re considering end zone seating, the north end zone is sunnier than the south end zone. However, how much shade you get on the south side depends on the exact time of day and how late in the season it is. Late in the football season, the sun is lower in the sky and casts longer shadows, so there is more shade than earlier in the season. If shade is critical, try to find a seat on the west sideline, as it’s a better bet year-round.

By late-afternoon seats on the west side of the stadium (left ) are shaded while those on the east side (right) are still in the sun.
Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire

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