On Sunday, all eyes were on Sam Hartman as fans packed Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore for a meet and greet and signing in partnership with Under Armour, the official sideline partner for Notre Dame Fighting Irish. 200 Fighting Irish proud from Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan eagerly waited in line to meet Notre Dame’s starting quarterback fresh off a big win against USC.
A freshly shaven Hartman was all smiles during Notre Dame football’s bye weekend as he engaged with fans, some who had driven through the night to be first in line before the store opened. To be eligible to meet the quarterback and get his autograph, fans had to purchase at least one Under Armour product. Hartman himself wore a new Under Armour t-shirt, sported by the quarterback on social media, now dubbed the “Sam Hartman Tee”. Sam spent individual time with each guest, autographing fan-favorites in iconic gold ink, including the Sam Hartman Replica Jersey, footballs of every size, and of course, gold Fighting Irish helmets.
The experience was topped off with a one-on-one photo op few passed up. Set against a striking navy and gold Under Armour backdrop, the unforgettable moment brought smiles (and some devoted tears) to the Notre Dame Family. The smallest members of Sam’s fan club fist-bumped, high-fived, and casually conversed with their hero. Proud parents and die-hard fans captured the memory with photography. To learn about future NILI events and others such as author signings, visit and stay connected to Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore on Facebook and Instagram.
This was Hammes Notre Dame’s second NILI (Name, Image, Likeness and Ideas) event. Through NILI activities, organizations and fans can leverage student-athletes’ brand power and knowledge to reach their goals. Student-athletes can serve as “ambassadors” to enhance organizational awareness and engagement, provide subject matter knowledge or create unique experiences for fans.
For more information on scheduling NILI events, contact Kayla Rogers, NILI Athlete Marketing Manager for the Fighting Irish, kayla.miller@altiussp.com, or Tomi Gerhold, tgerhold@nd.edu.