PRESS RELEASE: Citi Becomes Championship Partner of Notre Dame Athletics and Title Partner of Citi Shamrock Classic

– 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 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.