Notre Dame's Shamrock Series game in Boston draws crowds, dollars

Notre Dame's Shamrock Series game against Boston College at Fenway Park last month drew an attendance of 38,686 and a total spending impact of $22.2 million, the Red Sox announced Tuesday. The spending impact is nearly 14 times more than an average regular season Red Sox home game, which typically generates around $1.6 million.

According to conservative estimates from the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, $28.7 million was generated in visitor spending for the City of Boston and the region by the events at Fenway Park in November, which included Notre Dame’s Shamrock Series game, the AIG Hurling match and Irish Festival, and four high school football games on Thanksgiving eve and Thanksgiving Day. Fenway Park housed a total of 94,973 for those events.

“Our visitor industry received an early Christmas gift thanks to the Red Sox hosting these special events at Fenway Park,” Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau President/CEO Pat Moscaritolo said in a statement. “This was new spending that benefited hotels, restaurants, and attractions in what normally is a very quiet time of year for our industry.”

“It has been a focus of this ownership group to bring new and unique forms of entertainment to Fenway Park throughout the year,” said Red Sox President Sam Kennedy.

“Bringing back the tradition of football and hurling to Fenway Park after such a long hiatus was truly special, and being able to create lifelong memories for the college and high school students who played was a great privilege.”

Notre Dame defeated Boston College 19-16 in the Shamrock Series game, the first football game to be played at Fenway Park since 1968.