NEW YORK — Charlie Weis remembered when he met with George Steinbrenner at Legends Field during spring training two years ago.

“I looked at him and said, ‘Mr. Steinbrenner, you’ve got this new stadium going up. I mean, you’re not going to have Notre Dame and Army scheduled for your first football game?’ ” the Notre Dame coach recalled Monday. “He laughed, first of all. You know, I don’t think he’s used to people busting his chops too often.”

Turns out, the Fighting Irish will play the first football game at Steinbrenner’s $1.5 billion ballpark, facing Army in a nationally televised matchup on Saturday night Nov. 20, 2010.

“It demonstrates a commitment to tradition,” Army coach Rich Ellerson said.

Notre Dame and Army have a long history of playing in New York, They met 22 times at old Yankee Stadium, facing each other annually from 1925-46, except for 1930.