The real question asked is if Notre Dame has lost the “casual fan.” You know the one, because it’s the type of fan that has another name… The fair weather fan.
If the fanbase is shrinking, that’s news to the open market which still has Notre Dame being a brand with few peers. When it comes to clothing, trinkets, television eyeballs, and just about anything else you might name, Notre Dame still sells… a lot.
The fanbase is still unequivocally solid and stretches from one coast to another. Fans flock when the Irish come to their town, and if you don’t believe me, go ask the ACC for their attendance records for games against Notre Dame.