Comedian Shane Gillis waves to the spectators at the Olivia Culpo and Christian McCaffrey wedding at the Watch Hill Chapel and reception to follow at at the Ocean House in Westerly, RI on Saturday, June 29, 2024. Marc Vasconcellos/The Enterprise / USA TODAY NETWORK

Notre Dame Superfan Shane Gillis Wants to Join the Fight in NIL Arms Race

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By Nick Shepkowski | Last updated Jan 24, 2025 3:17 PM ET

Notre Dame fans had a tough Monday night as the Fighting Irish fell in the national championship game to Ohio State, 34-23.

Some immediately thought about the great year it was, reaching the championship game for the first time since the 2012 season.

Others, like Notre Dame superfan Shane Gillis, started plotting how to get Notre Dame over that final hurdle that has eluded the Fighting Irish since 1988.

Shane Gillis Talks Notre Dame on Latest 'Nate and Shane's Secret Podcast'

On the latest episode of Nate and Shane's Secret Podcast, Gillis spoke of being at the national championship game this past Monday.

He mentioned that he spoke to the team early in the day Monday and that his father who suffered a heart attack in early-September, was able to rally and make the trip with him.

Gillis also revealed a possible plan to help Notre Dame even further in the NIL game.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"I was looking at the confetti, watching Ohio State and just sitting there" said Gillis, "I called my agent immediately, was like 'Let's book a show and give all the money to Notre Dame!"

Gillis went to bed that night and got up rethinking his masterplan.

"I woke up the next day and was like, ---- that's a lot of money."

Gillis then went on to joke about the funds from his upcoming show with Bill Burr that will raise money for the California wildfires.

"Notre Dame needs a d-tackle. I need to give that to an 18-year old!"

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Take:

Whether Gillis is being completely serious about putting on the Notre Dame NIL show I don't know. What I do know is that this is how college sports work these days.

Do you think Riley Leonard just fell out of the sky and happened to land in South Bend?

As much as the fit worked, Leonard wasn't coming to Notre Dame if a solid amount of money wasn't there to be had.

When 17-year old recruits look at Notre Dame and have an offer that includes 10's of thousands of dollars from another school, the Notre Dame degree doesn't sell itself quite as well.

Notre Dame doesn't make their NIL deals nearly as public as other places but don't think for a second that the Irish aren't huge in the NIL game.

Notre Dame making some of it more public in a way Gillis sort of describes is certainly something worth keeping an eye on.