Irish home football games have gone mobile this season with NBC Sports' recent release of the Notre Dame Central App, which offers live coverage of all Notre Dame home football games via 3G or WiFi to users of the iPhone and iPod Touch at a cost of $6.99.
The application - known as an app within the iTunes system - offers students and Irish fans nationwide mobile access to all things Irish on game day.
"Fans of Notre Dame football now have an app that will let them follow college football's most storied program while they're on the go," Perkins Miller, senior vice president of Digital Media, NBC Sports said in a recent news release. "We're thrilled to extend the viewing experience to this fiercely loyal fan base and bring live games and other rich, interactive video options to iPhone and iPod Touch."
In addition to live NBC Sports coverage of all eight Notre Dame home games, the new application gives users access to on-demand video highlights including interviews, press conferences and full-game recaps from the NBC Sports Archives. The app also offers live scoring, stats, and news alerts, as well as pre-game Alerts that play the Notre Dame Fight Song.
Dewitt Latimer, deputy Chief Information Officer at the Office of Information Technologies, said there is an expectation of high demand for the app.
Making or receiving cell phone calls on game day is usually more difficult due to the increased concentration and volume of cell phone users in and around the stadium.
When asked whether users of the app might experience problems, Latimer said there is "some concern, but the providers are working to increase capacity and coverage in and around the stadium area, so we're hopeful that the situation will improve."
Notre Dame iPhone and iPod Touch users said they are excited about the new app - even if they haven't yet tried it out.
"It sounds like a great idea," junior Danny Osburn said. "Now I can check stats and hear the stirring words of the commentators while I am at the game."
iPhone owner junior Brian Dondanville plans to test the new app out this weekend when the Irish face Michigan State.
"With this new app, I can tailgate even farther into the game," Dondanville said. "Actually, I might not even make it into the stadium."
Junior varsity leprechaun David Zimmer, a junior, said the app will make seeing replays easier.
"I used to bring a TV with me to the game to see replays and now, I can just watch them on my iPhone," he said.
According to the news release, the Notre Dame Central App is available from the Apple App Store on iPhone and iPod Touch at a cost of $6.99.
