Irish won't play Shamrock Series game in 2017, but '18 return likely

IRVING, Texas -- Notre Dame's Shamrock Series will likely take a break in 2017 and return in 2018, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said on Wednesday from the College Football Playoff spring meetings.

"In all likelihood we will not do one in '17, because that's the opening of the Crossroads and we want to maximize the number of home games, but we anticipate doing it in subsequent years," Swarbrick said. "It's been phenomenal. We have a lot of people who annually target that game and make it one where they get together with former classmates and really plan their years around it. It's been good."

The Shamrock Series began in 2009 in San Antonio, and was designed to give Irish fans a home-away-from-home game experience, including a traditional pep rally on Friday nights. This year, the Irish will play Army at the Alamodome in San Antonio on Nov. 12. Notre Dame has taken one home game off-site to a major city every year since 2009, also wearing alternate jerseys to the game.

The series has been played in New York (2010), Washington (2011), Chicago (2012), Dallas (2013), Indianapolis (2014) and Boston (2015).

Notre Dame's $400 million stadium renovation project, known as "Campus Crossroads," was announced in January 2014 and launched in November after the 2014 season. It is expected to be completed in August 2017.