Why is Notre Dame-South Carolina in Paris? Explaining the high-profile women’s basketball matchup

On Monday, a pair of top-10 teams representing two of the sport’s most decorated programs will headline the first day of the 2023-24 women’s college basketball season.

But when No. 10 Notre Dame and No. 4 South Carolina tip off, it won’t be at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend or Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. Nor will it be at one of a number of potential neutral-site venues in the U.S. that typically host high-profile early season matchups in college basketball.

Instead, the Fighting Irish and Gamecocks will meet in Paris, France. Yes, you read that correctly.

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The matchup between Notre Dame and South Carolina should be a gripping one. With two titles apiece, they’re two of only eight Division I women’s basketball programs with multiple national championships and have combined to win three of the past five national championships. Additionally, they’re both coming off of successful seasons, with the Irish advancing to the Sweet 16 and the Gamecocks to the Final Four.

The unorthodox venue for a high-profile contest is happening at a time of increasing popularity for women’s college basketball.

During the 2022-23 season, four Division I programs – South Carolina, Iowa, Iowa State and UConn – averaged at least 10,000 fans per home game. The 2023 NCAA Tournament had its most viewers since 2009 and the national championship between LSU and Iowa had a record 9.9 million viewers. Last month, Iowa had an exhibition against DePaul that was played at the Hawkeyes’ football venue, Kinnick Stadium, with a record 55,646 fans showing up to watch star Caitlin Clark and her team compete.

But why Paris? And why Notre Dame and South Carolina for that historic matchup?

Here’s everything you need to know about the Irish and Gamecocks’ season opener:

Notre Dame vs. South Carolina location

• Location: Halles Georges Arena (Paris)

Notre Dame and South Carolina will play at Halles Georges Arena. The multipurpose indoor venue, which is located about five miles southeast of the Eiffel Tower, opened in 1960 and was renovated in 1988. French League basketball club JSF Nanterre has used the arena to host Euroleague matchups.

More than 3,000 spectators are expected for the sold-out game. Lea Miller-Tooley – the president of Complete Sports Management, which is staging the game — said the director of the French U.S. Embassy and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo are expected to be among those in attendance for the contest.

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Why is Notre Dame vs. South Carolina in Paris?

Complete Sports Management is no stranger to putting on college sports events, as it hosts the annual Bahamas Bowl and both the men’s and women’s Battle 4 Atlantis basketball tournaments in the Bahamas.

Miller-Tooley had envisioned doing a showcase of sorts for women’s basketball and when it came time to pick a location for it, she admittedly got selfish. Paris as the first international city she had traveled to as a child and, frankly, who’s opposed to making a trip to one of the most historical, culturally rich cities in the world?

Still, such a unique game would need a pair of teams to help carry it. Miller-Tooley’s first choices ended up being the only ones she would need. Notre Dame was a natural fit given the school’s name and its connection to the famed cathedral near the banks of the Seine river. South Carolina, too, made sense, as the Gamecocks have become perhaps the preeminent program in the sport under coach Dawn Staley, winning two national championships in the past six years and making five Final Fours since 2015.

Miller-Tooley had first contacted Staley about the possibility of a game in France more than two years ago and the idea immediately intrigued the Gamecocks’ coach.

“We couldn’t not do it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us both educationally and athletically,” Staley said. “To bring in Niele (Ivey) and Notre Dame, I think it’s only fitting. We’re both Under Armour schools. We’re two Black women that have programs on the rise, and we’ve got players who want to play internationally. Here’s an opportunity for them to do that.”

Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey, who is entering her fourth season at the helm of the program, is just as excited about what awaits her team.

“It’s always been my mission to break barriers and provide opportunities for my players to have life-changing experiences,” Ivey said in a statement when the game was announced on April 12. “Women’s basketball is on the rise right now, and having this exposure continues to grow the game on an international platform.”

What time is Notre Dame vs. South Carolina in Paris?

• Date: Monday, Nov. 6
• Time : 1 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CET

Notre Dame and South Carolina will tip off at 1 p.m. ET in the U.S., which will be 7 p.m. Central European Time in Paris.

What channel is Notre Dame vs. South Carolina in Paris?

The matchup between the Irish and Gamecocks will air on ESPN.

Streaming options for the game include WatchESPN and Fubo, the latter of which is offering a free trial to potential subscribers.

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History of college basketball games in France

When Notre Dame and South Carolina tip off Monday, they’ll be making history.

The matchup will be the first-ever college basketball regular-season game, men’s or women’s, to be played in Paris. It will also mark the Irish’s first trip outside of North America.

The Irish and Gamecocks have five all-time meetings, including three neutral-site games. Notre Dame leads the series 3-2 and has won the past three contests. They haven’t played since Nov. 2017, when the Irish secured a 92-85 win at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Florida.

“This historic game will set a new standard,” Miller-Tooley said in a statement when the game was announced.

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