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Notre Dame Home Game Weekends: Why Parking Lot Towing Calls Surge

Notre Dame home game Saturdays bring tens of thousands of extra cars into South Bend, and with them, a predictable spike in parking-related tow calls. Here is what actually causes it and how to steer clear.

Improvised Parking Is the Biggest Cause

When official lots fill up, drivers start parking on grass, in driveways, on private lot overflow, and along stretches of street that are normally open — and a lot of that parking is not actually authorized, even when it looks like everyone else is doing it too. Private property owners near the stadium have every right to enforce their own lots, and many do on game day specifically.

Dead Batteries Spike Too

A car sitting all day with a phone charging, or lights left on from an early pre-dawn tailgate departure, adds up — jump start calls climb right alongside towing calls on game weekends, often from the same crowded lots.

What to Actually Check Before You Park

Look for posted signage rather than assuming a lot is fine because other cars are already there — improvised game-day lots often fill in without anyone actually confirming they are allowed to. If in doubt, official paid lots and ride-share drop-off are the safer bet over a promising-looking empty stretch of grass.

If Your Car Does Get Towed

Private-lot tows on game day are usually handled the same way any private property tow is — the lot owner authorizes it, and the towing company can tell you where the vehicle was taken. Do not assume it is a scam just because it happened fast; game weekends are simply high-volume days for legitimate enforcement.

What a Legitimate Private-Lot Tow Actually Looks Like

A properly authorized tow from a private lot near the stadium should come with a posted sign at the lot itself listing the towing company’s name and contact information — that is a real legal requirement in most jurisdictions, not just a courtesy. If you cannot find any sign at all, that is worth noting, since it may affect whether the tow was actually done correctly. Either way, the fastest path to your car is usually contacting the property or business that owns the lot, since they are the ones who authorized the tow in the first place.

Ride-Share and Shuttle Alternatives Worth Considering

Given how predictable game-day parking pressure actually is, using a ride-share service or one of the shuttle options that run on home game Saturdays avoids the entire parking gamble in the first place — no risk of an improvised spot turning out to be unauthorized, and no risk of a dead battery from a car sitting all day. It is not the right call for every trip, especially if you are hauling tailgate gear, but for anyone driving in from off campus without a specific reason to have their own car on hand, it is worth weighing against the hassle and uncertainty of game-day parking.