Irish Jam was the inaugural, high-energy outdoor tip-off event held on Friday, October 3, 2025, at Eddy Street Commons. Produced by Notre Dame Athletics in partnership with Under Armour, it served as the official community launch for the 2025-26 men’s and women’s basketball seasons.
Here is a breakdown of what went down:
Exclusive Merch & Style
We debuted exclusive "The Bend" branding and jerseys—black-and-gold uniforms featuring elements of the South Bend city flag (such as the St. Joseph River lines). The new brand premiered days before the event, and exclusive gear was sold on-site and online the day of the event.
The Atmosphere & Setup
Eddy Street was transformed into a "festival of hoops," featuring a custom outdoor half-court arena right in the middle of the shopping district. The event was free to the public and standing-room-only, designed to bring the South Bend community closer to the teams than ever.
Daytime & Community Events
The day kicked off with community-focused programming, including mini-basketball tournaments for local youth and various fan activations.
Various Official Partners of Notre Dame Athletics hosted games, prizes, and interactive booths for fans of all ages.
The Main Event
The evening session featured the full rosters of both squads:
Men’s head coach Micah Shrewsberry and women’s head coach Niele Ivey addressed the growing crowd, hyping up the upcoming season.
In a "pro-bowl" style format, fan-voted captains Hannah Hidalgo (leading "Shamrock City") and Markus Burton (leading "Irish Jammers") drafted co-ed teams of players from both the men’s and women’s programs.
The teams competed in a series of All-Star competitions, including a 3-point contest, a skills challenge, and a shooting stars challenge. Shamrock City eventually took the win (2-1), highlighted by a dramatic half-court shot from Hidalgo.
