Official Topical Pain Relief Partner of Notre Dame Athletics rewards Fighting Irish fan endurance with campus activations, prize packs, and targeted pain relief
- Icy Hot and Fighting Irish football legend Zack Martin have teamed up to celebrate Notre Dame fans for the physical effort of their touchdown push-ups tradition.
- The campaign features campus activations and a November 21 contest crowning the Official Icy Hot x Notre Dame Push-Ups Champion with a $1,000 grand prize.
- Committed to optimizing gameday recovery, Icy Hot provides fast muscle and joint pain relief so athletes and fans can bounce back quickly.
MORRISTOWN, N.J., Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As it enters its second year as the Official Topical Pain Relief Partner of Notre Dame Athletics, Icy Hot® recognizes that one of college football’s most historic gameday traditions can be almost as physically demanding for fans as the sport itself. On Saturday gamedays in South Bend, the legendary touchdown push-ups ritual turns into a high-intensity workout demanding serious grit. By delivering powerful, targeted pain relief directly to hardworking arms, Icy Hot is the perfect teammate to relieve the muscle and joint pain that follows.
With fans averaging a staggering 147 to 189 push-ups per home game*, Icy Hot is launching a new campaign with Fighting Irish legend Zack Martin to reward – and soothe – the physical effort of gameday fandom, culminating in the crowning of the Official Icy Hot x Notre Dame Push-Ups Champion.
WATCH THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH ANNOUNCEMENT HERE
Gameday Recognition and Season-Long Campus Activations
“I’m incredibly excited to partner with Icy Hot and reward the best fans in college football,” said Martin, a former Notre Dame captain. “The players on the field aren’t the only ones putting in the work on Saturdays. Fans are grinding out push-ups every single touchdown, and their arms are going to feel it. Icy Hot was always my go-to for recovery after battling on the field, and I still rely on it today after a heavy workout. It’s awesome to team up and give these fans the relief and recognition they’ve truly earned.”
The hard work extends beyond gamedays, with Icy Hot and Notre Dame collaborating across campus on unique social content, live on-site activations, product giveaways, and more.
The season-long campaign will culminate on Saturday, November 21, when Icy Hot will host a live push-ups contest ahead of the final home regular season game. The fan who completes the most push-ups will be officially crowned the Official Icy Hot x Notre Dame Push-Ups Champion, winning a $1,000 grand prize and an Icy Hot prize pack.
Targeted Muscle and Joint Pain Relief for Athletes and Fans
“We are thrilled to work with Notre Dame Athletics and Fighting Irish legend Zack Martin to reward fans all season long,” said Rob Carter, Head of Brand & Innovation, Topical Pain at Opella. “Our mission at Icy Hot is to deliver powerful, targeted pain relief directly to where it hurts – whether you’re out on the field or a fan in the stands doing push-ups. Extending our targeted muscle and joint relief to these passionate fans ensures they can quickly conquer gameday soreness and keep the stadium’s energy unmatched from kickoff to the final whistle.”
Icy Hot is proud to leverage its role as Notre Dame’s first Official Topical Pain Relief Partner to support the diehard fans in the stands. Rewarding fans for their unrelenting efforts reinforces a shared commitment to optimizing recovery from everyday muscle and joint soreness, aches and pains.
Be sure to follow all the action as it unfolds across Icy Hot’s Instagram (@icyhot) and TikTok (@icyhotus) channels.
For more information about Icy Hot products, visit icyhot.com.
FAQs:
Q: Why is Icy Hot sponsoring Notre Dame fans?
A: While Icy Hot proudly supports elite student-athletes, Notre Dame gamedays also demand serious physical endurance from the fans in the stands. With fans completing an average of 147 to 189 push-ups per game, we are validating their hard work and promoting the power of Icy Hot to relieve their post-workout muscle and joint pain.
Q: What is the Icy Hot x Notre Dame Push-Ups Champion contest?
A: Ahead of the home game on Saturday, November 21, Icy Hot will host a live, on-site push-ups contest at the University of Notre Dame. The fan who completes the most push-ups will be officially crowned the Official Icy Hot x Notre Dame Push-Ups Champion, winning a $1,000 grand prize and an Icy Hot prize pack.
Q: Why did Icy Hot partner with former Fighting Irish star Zack Martin?
A: As a former Notre Dame offensive lineman, Zack Martin knows firsthand the physical toll a football season takes on the body. This makes him an ideal ambassador to help us celebrate gameday fandom and highlight the importance of topical pain relief for recovery.
*Statistics provided by Notre Dame Athletics.
About Icy Hot®
One of America’s top topical pain relief brands, Icy Hot® makes powerful over-the-counter pain relief products that fuel your comeback from pain. Its extensive line of products provides powerful, fast-acting relief to give you targeted relief. Ice Works Fast, Heat Makes it Last™. The Icy Hot brand is brought to you by Opella, which provides over-the-counter drugs such as topical analgesics, allergy medications, constipation and heartburn medications.
About Opella.
Opella is the self-care challenger with the purest and third-largest portfolio in the Over-The-Counter (OTC) & Vitamins, Minerals & Supplements (VMS) market globally. Our mission is to bring health in people’s hands by making self-care as simple as it should be. For half a billion consumers worldwide – and counting. At the core of this mission is our 100 loved brands, our 11,000-strong global team, our 13 best-in-class manufacturing sites and 4 specialized science and innovation development centers. Headquartered in France, Opella is the proud maker of many of the world’s most loved brands, including Allegra, Buscopan, Doliprane, Dulcolax, Enterogermina, Essentiale and Mucosolvan. B Corp certified globally, we are active players in the journey towards healthier people and planet.
Find out more about our mission at www.opella.com.
About Notre Dame Athletics
As it pertains to athletic and academic success, the University of Notre Dame has few peers across the nation. Sponsoring 26 varsity athletic programs, Notre Dame teams have won 40 national championships that span over 100 years of competitive excellence. The University’s first national title was earned by football in 1924, led by legendary head coach Knute Rockne. Notre Dame athletic teams have continued to claim noteworthy national championships recently, including back-to-back titles by men’s lacrosse in 2023 and 2024 and the fencing team earning its 16th team national title in 2026. The Fighting Irish football team also appeared in the 2025 College Football Playoff Championship Game. Notre Dame athletic teams have produced the third-most Academic All-Americans among Division I schools and Fighting Irish student-athletes have ranked first or second among Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the NCAA’s Graduation Success Rating for 19 straight years.
About Notre Dame Global Partnerships
Notre Dame Global Partnerships (NGDP) manages the sales, marketing, sponsorship, multimedia rights, and branding services for the University of Notre Dame’s Athletics programs. Founded in 2018, NDGP is a joint venture between JMI Sports and Legends, formed to build integrated partnerships with industry-leading partners that share the University’s commitment to both academic and athletic excellence. Notre Dame’s status as one of the most recognizable and iconic institutions in collegiate athletics offers brands a unique opportunity to connect with fans, students, and alumni globally. NDGP is creating new and innovative partnerships that contribute to the University’s mission while also upholding its storied history and tradition.
Media Contacts:
Current Global | Jon Farren
jon.farren@omc.com
Media Contact for Opella:
Suzanne Jacobson
Suzanne.Jacobson@opella.com
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SOURCE Icy Hot
