Allegiant Air Named Official Airline Sponsor of Notre Dame Athletics

(SOUTH BEND) Allegiant Air has been named the Official Airline Sponsor of Notre Dame Athletics in a multi-year deal that takes effect with the start of the 2025 fall sports season. Announced on August 26, 2025, the partnership deepens Allegiant’s roots at South Bend International Airport (SBN) and adds fresh travel options for students, athletes, alumni, and visiting fans who fly in for game days.

The agreement carries a Championship Partner status and includes team travel support, broad brand placement across athletic platforms, and fan promotions tied to home and away events. The deal comes as Allegiant broadens service at SBN, where the carrier already flies eight routes and is preparing a new nonstop to Fort Lauderdale.

Notre Dame Global Partnerships, the university’s multimedia rights holder, brokered the arrangement and will steer campus-wide activation. Airline executives point to two decades of service to Notre Dame travelers and a long view of South Bend as a growing base for leisure and sports travel.

Key facts at a glance

• Announcement: August 26, 2025
• Status: Official Airline Sponsor; Championship Partner
• Term: Multi-year (financial terms not disclosed)
• Airport base: South Bend International Airport (SBN)
• Service footprint: Eight routes from SBN; new nonstop to Fort Lauderdale
• Audience reach: Over 10 million Notre Dame fans worldwide
• Activation: Team travel, digital and in-venue branding, sweepstakes, and airport touchpoints

Partnership terms and local impact

Allegiant’s Chief Commercial Officer, Drew Wells, framed the partnership as a natural next step after years of flying Notre Dame students and alumni, noting the shared focus on strong performance and community ties.

On the university side, Jim Fraleigh, Deputy Athletics Director, Corporate Relations, underscored how airline access matters on and off the field—moving teams on tight schedules and giving families and fans a simpler way to reach campus. Notre Dame Global Partnerships will integrate the airline’s branding across digital content, in-venue placements, and special fan programs, tying Allegiant’s name to marquee moments across sports.

The carrier’s role will extend beyond logos. Under the agreement, Allegiant will:
– Support official team travel
– Offer low-fare options to the wider community
– Sponsor promotions and activations tied to game days

That mix could lift tourism traffic—especially around football, hockey, and basketball—and may encourage more visitors to start or end their trips at SBN. Industry watchers note that airline-team deals often spur steady demand around key weekends, which can justify added capacity or schedule tweaks. The already-announced Fort Lauderdale nonstop connects South Bend directly to a large leisure market and strengthens winter travel options.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, college sports sponsorships can give airlines a ready-made audience and a platform to build loyalty through game-day activations, targeted offers, and alumni outreach. Experts say the Notre Dame agreement blends local reach with national name growth, which can pay off quickly in bookings and, over time, in brand strength among younger flyers.

Key takeaway: The partnership pairs Allegiant’s point-to-point service with Notre Dame’s large, engaged fan base—creating predictable demand tied to the sports calendar and new marketing opportunities for both partners.

Travel practicalities for fans and teams

For teams, aligning with a single carrier can smooth planning:
1. Simplifies charter and official travel logistics
2. Eases last-minute changes during weather or schedule shifts
3. Provides predictable, calendar-tied capacity for peak weekends

For fans, benefits include:
– More straightforward routes and familiar booking paths
– Special promos tied to games (seat upgrades, travel packages, behind-the-scenes access)
– Visible airport and in-venue branding linking flight deals to matchups

Notre Dame and Allegiant plan sweepstakes and limited-time offers that may include seat upgrades, travel packages, or behind-the-scenes access during select events. Expect notices to appear through official Notre Dame Athletics channels and Allegiant’s marketing tools.

Airport experience and routes

At SBN, travelers should see the partnership manifested through:
– Signage at gates and terminal displays
– Digital touchpoints tying flight deals to upcoming matchups
– Promotional presence during home games and airport activations

Allegiant’s eight routes from SBN cover key leisure corridors, and the new nonstop to Fort Lauderdale adds a warm-weather link suited to alumni trips, bowl season plans, and spring break travel. While exact capacity details were not released, both organizations describe South Bend as a core node in Allegiant’s network, with regular peaks that align with the sports calendar.

International travel and visa guidance

International fans planning trips to cheer on the Fighting Irish should:
– Confirm entry rules early and carry the right documents for travel to the United States 🇺🇸
– Review official guidance on visit options and timelines at the U.S. Department of State: U.S. visitor visas

Travelers eligible for the Visa Waiver Program should plan ahead—approvals, passports, and return tickets need to align with flight dates. These steps matter most during peak weekends when stadium demand spikes and last-minute changes can be costly.

Community and economic impact

More inbound game-day traffic may mean:
– Fuller hotels and busier restaurants near South Bend
– Increased tourism revenue around marquee matchups
– A stronger case for travelers to choose nonstop options from SBN instead of connecting through larger hubs

Allegiant and the university did not disclose dollar targets, but both say the alliance is designed to support local travel and business over several seasons. For South Bend International Airport, the tie-up provides clear marketing fuel: game-driven flyers who might otherwise connect through larger markets now have reason to consider SBN first.

Marketing, operations, and future outlook

Market data shared with the announcement highlights Notre Dame’s reach of over 10 million fans worldwide—a wide audience for Allegiant to engage through social posts, video features, and stadium activations. This audience aligns with Allegiant’s emphasis on price-sensitive leisure flyers.

Brand integration will roll out across:
– Social and video content around teams and key dates
– In-venue elements during home games
– Airport placements at SBN and related touchpoints
– Sweepstakes and game-day promotions for fans, students, and alumni

From an operations perspective, supplying team travel adds costs but provides steady, calendar-tied demand that helps airlines plan crews and aircraft use more efficiently. The partnership is also meant to simplify travel for student-athletes balancing classes, practices, and road trips.

The partners hint at potential route growth and additional promotions over the life of the agreement. Notre Dame Global Partnerships will shape the creative and media plan while Allegiant monitors booking patterns to adjust service around sports peaks. This model—pairing national marketing programs with a point-to-point carrier—mirrors a broader trend in college sports marketing, where airlines seek growth through community ties and season-long storytelling.

What fans should do next

Fans planning trips for the 2025 season and beyond should:
– Check schedules early and compare fares from SBN against larger hubs
– Watch for promos linked to rivalry games and postseason play
– Sign up for official Notre Dame Athletics and Allegiant communications for sweepstakes and offers

With Allegiant now the Official Airline Sponsor, Notre Dame Athletics plans to integrate the partnership into everyday fan touchpoints—from ticket emails to scoreboard features. Allegiant, in turn, anchors itself more firmly in South Bend, betting that game-day energy will help keep seats filled and routes expanding in the coming years.