Dublin braces for influx of Americans as Steelers-Vikings play Ireland's 1st regular-season NFL game

Ireland has sent quite a few of its people to America over the years. The U.S. will be returning the favor this week.

The Steelers-Vikings matchup at Croke Park in Dublin is expected to draw a larger-than-usual chunk of U.S.-based fans compared to other international games.

It will be the first regular-season NFL game in Ireland, and all sides are hopeful it could lead to more.

That would be good news for fans in the States, who have shown massive interest in this one.

“It speaks to Dublin’s appeal and Ireland’s appeal to that U.S. audience,” Henry Hodgson, general manager of NFL UK and Ireland, told the Associated Press.

The league’s registry of interest for ticket purchases when the game was announced showed a higher proportion of U.S. interest compared to games in other markets, such as Britain and Germany.

“The split was essentially a third from Ireland, a third from the U.S. — with the majority being from Pittsburgh and once we announced the Vikings, from the Minnesota area — and then a third from the U.K. and rest of Europe,” Hodgson said.

“Normally you’d see the majority from the local market and then a smaller percentage from elsewhere.”

Steelers fans might feel particularly at home, not only because the Rooney family ownership has Irish roots, but also because the team has opened a merchandise shop in the city. There might even be a few fans coming who attended Pittsburgh’s 1997 preseason game at Croke Park.

The capital city is also well-drilled when it comes to hosting American football fans, having staged college games for several years.

Dublin is tracking to become the biggest NFL international game in hospitality sales, said John Anthony, executive vice president of On Location, the NFL’s hospitality partner.

One and done?

The deal is for one game followed by an evaluation period, Hodgson said, so no one is penciling in more Dublin games just yet. But there’s optimism.

“That’s a goal on both sides. I don’t want to preempt an evaluation that we need to do on both sides about the impact that it has, but so far there’s been a really strong partnership,” said Hodgson, noting they’ve followed a similar course in other cities.

The Gaelic Athletic Association, which owns Croke Park, stands to gain from an expected crowd of 75,000. Alan Milton, the GAA’s head of communications, said “hopefully, it will not be a one-off.”

The Irish government allocated up to €9.95 million ($11.7 million) to support the game, according to the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, which said in a statement it is open to hosting “future NFL games.”

Public investment for NFL game

The government projects the game will generate €64 million ($75 million) “in additional economic activity for Ireland with a direct Exchequer return on the State’s investment of nearly two to one,” the culture and sport department said. More than 30,000 international visitors are expected.

“It also will provide global exposure for Dublin and Ireland, with an expected TV audience in the U.S. alone of up to 20 million viewers,” the department’s statement read.

Irish Times columnist Dave Hannigan, however, said it’s unfair for such a lucrative league to seek taxpayer funds.

“They’re commercial juggernauts. Come to Dublin, make whatever you want from this experience, or this enterprise, make as much money as you can … just don’t charge the Irish people for it,” Hannigan told the AP.

Hodgson pointed to some elements of the funding that “will remain in the market” such as stadium upgrades.

It’s a business model that works, he added, and other cities are lining up to host games.

“The NFL brings in significant economic and social impact,” Hodgson said. “Ultimately, if that’s what Ireland or Dublin or any other city is looking to do, to bring in the tourism and social impact that we can provide, and they’re willing to make that outlay, that’s how this works.”

Croke Park adjustments

Capacity will be reduced from the usual 82,300, in part, because a standing section has been fitted with seats. The pitch was replaced following several concerts, Milton said.

For the Gaelic games normally played at the stadium — which includes Gaelic football, a game that’s a bit like rugby — the opposing teams each get a locker room and warmup area on the same side of the venue.

“In this instance, one American football team is going to take up those four areas on one side of the stadium,” Milton said. “It gives you an indication of the size of the guys, the equipment, the numbers … their background teams, it’s on a different level to our games.”

The media center has been doubled in capacity.

“The interest is phenomenal,” he said.