Notre Dame will not send Fighting Irish Band to the Fiesta Bowl

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish won’t have the full sound of their marching band on Saturday against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Fiesta Bowl. The band members were notified that due to the omicron variant, the university wants to be cautious for the sake of the entire student body.

Dear Students,

It is with sincere sadness and extreme disappointment that we write to you today to announce that the Band of the Fighting Irish will no longer appear at this year’s Fiesta Bowl.

With the Omicron variant spreading at an alarming rate, we feel strongly it is no longer in the safest interest of the band to travel to the Fiesta Bowl prior to returning to campus for the spring semester. We deeply regret having come to this conclusion, but it would be imprudent for us to bring so many of our students from so many parts of the country together outside of campus at this time. Our primary concern continues to be the protection of your health and safety and that of the broader Notre Dame community.

We realize this decision, informed by conversations with public health officials, and in consultation with University leadership, is both disappointing and unsettling for you, and we apologize for the inconvenience, especially considering so many of you are scheduled to leave for Arizona as soon as tomorrow. Rest assured that all travel arrangements will be taken care of through our partners at Anthony Travel.

University leadership will continue to work closely with health experts to monitor conditions on campus, in our region, throughout the nation, and around the world. If additional health and safety measures become necessary for the start of the spring semester, we will continue to keep you informed.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Notre Dame,

Fr. Gerry Olinger,
C.S.C.Vice President for Student Affairs

Dr. Ken Dye
Director of Bands