Log In


Reset Password
  • MENU
    UConn Sports
    Friday, April 26, 2024

    UConn-ND football at Fenway?

    UConn's Andre Dixon scores the winning touchdown in double overtime in 2009, when the Huskies stunned Notre Dame 33-30 in South Bend, Ind. The Day has learned that the schools are in negotiations to play again in 2014, but this time at Fenway Park in Boston.

    Discussions between both schools could produce a football game between the University of Connecticut and Notre Dame at Fenway Park in Boston in 2014, two UConn sources said told The Day on Monday.

    The sources said that personnel changes in both athletic departments have slowed talks somewhat, but that "there's definitely some traction there," alluding to a potential Notre Dame-UConn game.

    The sources agreed the game would be considered Notre Dame's home game. The Irish have played a number of "home" games away from campus, including a game versus Maryland last year at Fed Ex Field in Landover, Md., Miami at Soldier Field in Chicago this season (Oct. 6) and Arizona State at Cowboys Stadium in 2013.

    Notre Dame senior associate athletic director for broadcast and media relations John Heisler said Monday that athletic director Jack Swarbrick "has an idea" of how he'd like to pursue off-site home games beyond 2013, but that it's all speculative at this point.

    "There are lots of moving parts," Heisler said.

    Red Sox general manager Larry Lucchino told the Boston Globe the Red Sox are "actively" looking for a game at Fenway as early as 2013. Lucchino said he wasn't aware of specific talks with either UConn or Notre Dame, but that's the type of game in which they are interested.

    The Red Sox have used Fenway for other events besides baseball, including soccer games, concerts and a recent Boston College mass.

    There is a burgeoning popularity for college football at ballparks. Northwestern and Illinois have played at Wrigley Field in Chicago and Rutgers played Army last season at Yankee Stadium.

    Yankee Stadium is also now the home of the Pinstripe Bowl, which matches up opponents from the Big East and Big 12 conferences.

    The Patriots have even played 41 games at Fenway, the last of which was Dec. 1, 1968.

    m.dimauro@theday.com

    Comment threads are monitored for 48 hours after publication and then closed.