Alumnus Bob Hinton Makes Huge Gift to Name Notre Dame Stadium Tunnel and Media Room

Bring in that money, honey. Notre Dame received another generous donation for a naming right from a weatlthy alum to help finance the program.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame announced today that alumnus Bob Hinton ‘76 of Ada, Michigan, has made a $20 million gift to the University to name Notre Dame Stadium’s iconic north tunnel and media room. Beginning this season, the Notre Dame Football team will take the field for every home game by running through the Bob Hinton Tunnel. The Fighting Irish coaches and student-athletes will conclude game days by discussing the day’s action inside the Bob Hinton Media Room at Notre Dame Stadium. 

The gift was announced and celebrated in a gathering honoring Hinton, which was hosted in the space and featured a blessing from University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., and remarks by Hinton, James E. Rohr Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua and Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman. 

For nearly a century, the north tunnel has been a central fixture of Notre Dame Stadium. As a symbol of the University’s rich athletic and academic tradition, the tunnel has welcomed generations of student-athletes, recruits, fans and visitors. Beyond its role on game days, it serves as a meaningful campus landmark as it hosts stadium tours for families and serves as a key path for graduates during commencement processions.

“Bob is a loyal son of Notre Dame, and his generous gift will make a considerable impact on our student-athletes’ experiences now and in the future,” said Bevacqua. “We are honored to celebrate him by adding his name to our iconic stadium tunnel, and to our media venue, a location which allows our student-athletes and coaches to speak to a global audience.”

The Bob Hinton Media Room serves as a premier public forum for the University, hosting postgame press conferences, major announcements and campus briefings. Designed for a wide reach, the facility connects Notre Dame coaches, student-athletes and leadership with millions of fans and media outlets worldwide. Ultimately, the Bob Hinton Media Room amplifies the University’s voice and provides a modern stage to share the ongoing story of the Fighting Irish.

“In today’s college football landscape, being the best off the field with facilities, coaches and administration is as important as being the best on the field,” Hinton said. “Both are necessary for consistent success. Notre Dame’s commitment to both is clear. I am humbled and honored to be part of continuing to make Notre Dame the icon of college football on the field and, as importantly, in the classroom. Nobody values the student-athlete experience better than Notre Dame.”

Hinton is the founder and owner of Hinton Transportation Investments (HTI), a collection of operating companies serving the transportation industry. He graduated from Notre Dame with an accounting degree and began his career at Arthur Andersen & Co., and in 1983, purchased his first business that had $9 million in sales and 19 employees. Over the next 43 years, through both organic growth and acquisitions, HTI has become the largest trailer aftermarket parts business in the industry with operations in North and South America and over 1,000 employees. 

Hinton’s two children, Caitlin ‘08 and Joseph ‘11, are both Notre Dame graduates and work alongside their father at HTI.