After a culminating celebration featuring student group performances, food and Notre Dame community, The Shirt committee unveiled the design for the 2024 Shirt on library lawn on Friday afternoon.
The Shirt's unveiling took place from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Until members of The Shirt committee took over, Father Pete McCormick emceed the event, as he introduced groups ranging from the Glee Club to Pom Squad to the Echoes.
“Ever since this tradition began in 1990, The Shirt has become the single best-selling collegiate apparel in the country,” vice president of The Shirt committee Molly Sullivan said. “Over the past 35 years, we have sold over 3 million shirts and raised over 14 and a half million dollars.”
This year marks the 35th edition of The Shirt, an initiative that began in 1990 to raise funds for student activities.
“Every year, we donate all our profits back to Notre Dame students,” president of The Shirt committee Ryan Bland said. “Today, the project’s revenue supports the operations of student groups and organizations and helps provide coverage with students’ extreme medical expenses via The Shirt Charity Fund.”
According to Bland, The Shirt also assists students with resources through the Office of Student Enrichment. When Bland and Sullivan took to the stage, they were also joined by head football coach Marcus Freeman and members of the football team.
“I promise you will love it,” Freeman said prior to The Shirt's unveiling. “I think it is the best one yet.”
The Shirt is available to buy online or at the Notre Dame bookstore. Traditionally, attendees of the first football home game sport The Shirt for the occasion.
“We are super excited to see 80,000 people with The Shirt on at game one,” incoming quarterback Riley Leonard said. “It’s obviously a shirt of many traditions, so we are excited to see you guys out there wearing it. It’s also for a great cause too.”
This past fall, The Shirt was green and featured a shamrock on the back.
“I’m excited to see you all representing The Shirt,” cornerback Benjamin Morrison said. “It’s an awesome cause, and it’s awesome to be part of this tradition.”
The Shirt 2024 is varsity gold, with the front depicting the four horsemen of Notre Dame. The four horsemen depict the backfield of Knute Rockne’s 1924 football team, which won a national championship.
“We really wanted to honor the anniversary of a hundred years of the first national championship and the four horsemen,” Sullivan said. “We wanted to have the four horsemen really big on the front of the shirt and sketch them out in a way that would pay homage to their legacy and excellence.”
The back of The Shirt features the phrase, “The tradition continues,” along with a sketch of a golden Notre Dame football helmet.
“Since the front of The Shirt looks back at the past, we wanted the back of The Shirt to look forward to having another 100 years of excellence and traditions in Notre Dame football,” Sullivan said.
The Shirt 2024 is the third edition to feature a gold color, although it is distinct in shade from the previous two gold versions.
“We wanted to encapsulate the energy of Notre Dame Stadium,” Sullivan said. “We thought that was the defining factor of Notre Dame football, seeing the gold helmets rush out onto the field.”
