– The Inaugural Citi Shamrock Classic Basketball Game will be Held in St. Louis on Saturday, Nov. 12, Featuring the Fighting Irish vs. the California Golden Bears; Airing as the First Ever Live Broadcast of Women’s College Basketball on NBC and Peacock –
NOTRE DAME, IN and NEW YORK, NY – September 15, 2022 – Notre Dame Global Partnerships (NDGP), the multimedia rightsholder for the University of Notre Dame Athletics Department, today announced Citi as a new Championship Partner. As part of the sponsorship, Citi will also be the title partner of the first annual Citi Shamrock Classic basketball game airing live on NBC and Peacock on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 4:00 p.m. ET.
The Citi Shamrock Classic will include a weekend of basketball and thought leadership conversations on gender equity and women’s athletics. The day before the game, Citi and Notre Dame will host a luncheon infused with marquee speakers from the realm of business and women’s athletics. Citi’s new collaboration with Notre Dame will also create avenues throughout the year to amplify the joint commitment to elevate women’s athletics. Some of the promotional opportunities include digital content; television and radio promotion; and Citi’s participation in programs designed to close the gender gap in collegiate sports and across industries through workshops, speaker series and comprehensive mentorship of women student-athletes.
Held in St. Louis at the Enterprise Center, the Citi Shamrock Classic will see the Fighting Irish, who made the 2022 Sweet Sixteen under Karen & Kevin Keyes Family head coach Niele Ivey, face off against the California Golden Bears, led by Coach Charmin Smith. The showdown will mark the first live broadcast of a women’s college basketball game on NBC. The game is a homecoming for both head coaches as they both grew up in St. Louis. As a junior, Ivey led Cor Jesu Academy to its first state title before going on to play for Notre Dame and winning the 2001 National Championship in St. Louis. Cal’s Smith dominated the hardwood at Ladue Horton Watkins before appearing in three consecutive Final Fours with the Stanford Cardinal.
“I would like to thank Citi for the opportunity to showcase our women’s basketball program on this major stage in the inaugural Citi Shamrock Classic,” Ivey said. “This is a full circle moment to come back home to St. Louis where my basketball journey began. It’s an overwhelming feeling to think about the positive impact this will have in my community and for our sport. I hope to continue to inspire and empower the next generation of young leaders and athletes.”
“Citi has a proud history of working with partners who share our commitment to advance gender equity, so the opportunity to work with an institution shaping the next generation makes this even more rewarding,” said Ed Skyler, Head of Global Public Affairs, Citi. “We are excited about this new partnership with Notre Dame Athletics, and we will continue to support programs, like women’s basketball, that have been underrepresented for far too long.”
“We look forward to presenting the inaugural Citi Shamrock Classic and showcasing to a national audience on NBC and Peacock Notre Dame’s storied women’s basketball program in their game against Cal,” said Gary Quinn, Vice President, Programming, NBC Sports.
Game tickets for the Citi Shamrock Classic will go on sale to the general public on Friday, Sept. 23, at www.enterprisecenter.com/shamrock.
Notre Dame Global Partnerships, a joint venture between Legends and JMI Sports, facilitated the partnership.
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About Citi
Citi is a preeminent banking partner for institutions with cross-border needs, a global leader in wealth management and a valued personal bank in its home market of the United States. Citi does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions, providing corporations, governments, investors, institutions and individuals with a broad range of financial products and services.
Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi
About Notre Dame Athletics
The University of Notre Dame sponsors 26 varsity athletics programs (13 men’s, 13 women’s), dating back to 1887 when the Irish played their first football game. Notre Dame won its 33rd national championship in 2022 when the Irish claimed the NCAA Fencing Championship following previous titles in football (11 consensus), fencing (three men, one women, seven combined), women’s soccer (three), women’s basketball (two), men’s tennis (two), plus one each in men’s soccer, men’s golf and men’s cross country. Notre Dame student-athletes in 2021 recorded one of the highest NCAA Graduation Success Rate figures (97) among all Football Bowl Subdivision institutions. In the 2021 Olympic Games, the Irish sent an ACC-leading 21 current or former student-athletes to Tokyo (most in school history). Notre Dame football remains independent in terms of conference affiliation, but most other Irish sports began competing in the ACC in 2013-14.
About Notre Dame Global Partnerships
Notre Dame Global Partnerships (NGDP) manages the sales, marketing, sponsorship, multimedia rights and branding services for the University of Notre Dame’s Athletics programs. Founded in 2018, NDGP is a joint venture between JMI Sports and Legends, formed to build integrated partnerships with industry-leading partners that share the University’s commitment to both academic and athletic excellence. Notre Dame’s status as one of most recognizable and iconic institutions in collegiate athletics offers brands a unique opportunity to connect with fans, students, and alumni globally. NDGP is creating new and innovative partnerships that contribute to the University’s mission while also upholding its storied history and tradition.
Media Contacts:
Stacey Escudero, Legends / sescudero@legends.net