The Subway Alumni are a group of Notre Dame Fighting Irish fans who are known for their strict allegiance to the school although never attending or graduating from the school. The group's nickname originated when New York City area residents began traveling to early Notre Dame football games around the New York area by train. The largely Irish and Catholic population began to rally around the emerging Midwestern school. In 1991, Notre Dame on NBC continued to increase and grow the size of the Subway Alumni when every Notre Dame football home game was televised nationally.