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Notre Dame

Why I joined Blue & Gold to continue covering Notre Dame

Tyler Jamesby: Tyler James07/01/25TJamesND
Notre Dame football fans in Notre Dame Stadium from Wake Forest game in 2023.
Notre Dame football fans pose for a photo at Notre Dame's 45-7 win over Wake Forest in 2023. (Jeff Douglas/Inside ND Sports)

Notre Dame football knows success.

The program’s history is littered with legendary players, championship teams and unforgettable moments.

And even though the Irish are still chasing their first national championship of my lifetime, I’d argue this is the best time to be covering Notre Dame football.

That’s not just because of the excitement around what head coach Marcus Freeman is building toward going into his fourth full season leading the Irish. But it’s the connectivity with the Notre Dame fanbase at this moment in time that makes this job so rewarding right now.

That connection influenced my decision to join Blue & Gold. When Eric Hansen and I first made the decision to leave the South Bend Tribune to start Inside ND Sports in late 2021, the idea of managing a message board was probably the scariest part of the transition. But in the 3.5 years we ran the Notre Dame coverage for Rivals, I grew to enjoy and embrace the communities that can be built on message boards.

I’ve met subscribers for dinners on road trips before Notre Dame games. I’ve run into them in the bowels of stadiums across the country. I’ve even had people in my hometown tell me how much their husbands enjoy our content. The passion they have for Notre Dame matches the passion I have for the job.

By combining forces with the current Blue & Gold staff, our reach will only expand. The Lou Somogyi Board has grown into a vital place for Notre Dame fans to congregate thanks to the hard-working staff members. We hope the added presence of myself and the one and only Eric Hansen will only enhance that.

I’ve been lucky enough to have a full-time job covering Notre Dame football and recruiting since 2012, nearly a year after I graduated from DePauw University. After interning with the South Bend Tribune for two summers during my college years, I knew that’s where I wanted to be. And I was willing to wait almost a year after graduation to be given a full-time job while piecing together freelance assignments along the way.

I wouldn’t be where I am now with Hansen pushing for me and being a gracious teammate. If you are a fan of Notre Dame football, I don’t need to tell you about the quality content he produces. But he’s an even better coworker, business partner and mentor. I’m thrilled to continue to share a platform with him, and we plan to continue much of the YouTube and podcast content our audience has so kindly encouraged in recent years.

The Blue & Gold staff members we’re joining have established themselves as important voices in the market as well. Mike Singer is out in front of everything happening on the recruiting trail for Notre Dame football. Kyle Kelly is a talented young writer who develops great relationships with sources on the recruiting scene. Tyler Horka offers much more than a great first name. He’s always looking for an interesting story to tell on the Notre Dame football and women’s basketball beats. Jack Soble’s passion for learning is obvious in the questions he asks, and it’s reflected in the stories he writes about ND football and men’s basketball.

I’m not sure what the On3 Industry Rankings say about that collection of talent, but I’m seeing a lot of Blue & Gold-chippers. We plan to produce first-rate coverage of Notre Dame athletics that helps create a new standard in the market. The depth and quality of content available to Blue & Gold subscribers will be outstanding. Your support will only strengthen it.

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