Croke Park will welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers. Photo Credit Facebook Pittsburgh Steelers
Ireland announced that it will host an NFL game for the first time this year and estimates that American Football could bring €250million to the Emerald Isle’s economy.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will play in Croke Park, Dublin as the designated home side, this Autumn. Dates are yet to be announced but fans of the American game are waiting with bated breath. Ticket costs are also currently a question mark, as is the opposing side but what is certain is that with the extraordinary amount of money that the NFL produces each year for the American economy, Ireland will benefit financially from hosting the match.
The American NFL could be an economic windfall for Ireland
The NFL alone brought in the equivalent of €12.5billion in 2024 to America’s economy, that profit comes from 32 teams across the states. The Irish Government will fund part of the event and have devoted €10 million from state funding to the project. €64million is expected to be brought back into the country by the 300,000 international supporters that are expected to descend on Ireland as a result of regular NFL games. The NFL will also invest by spending between €14million and €18million in playing the game in Ireland.
The plan is that this match will act as the beginning of a series of matches hosted in Dublin. The Pittsburgh Steelers have already started promoting the event across their social media and website and in true American style have already started appealing to supporters with merchandise ready to buy for the Autumn game. The Steelers have said “We believe we have the best fanbase in football. And we cannot wait for them to experience this international game.” The club have a long history with Ireland and have even released a timeline of events both recent and in the distant past that connect Ireland to the American Football club on their website.
There is history between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Ireland
According to them their founder Arthur. J. Rooney, who formed the Steelers in 1933 is the great grandson of an Irish immigrant from Newry, County down. The team say the family have always cherished their Irish history, Arthur’s son Dan Rooney was the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland- “He loved Ireland and was very passionate about the game and growing the game of American football there.” Said the club.
For its part Dublin has also announced their first NFL game to the world in creative ways, they projected the news on to the Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin with a light display that broadcast: “NFL Coming soon.”
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