Ireland set to keep hosting American college football game each season to 2037

By Ken Maguire, Associated Press

Dublin would continue hosting an annual college American football game until 2037 under a plan awaiting formal approval by the Government, organisers have told The Associated Press.

The “Week Zero” game in Dublin has become a fixture on the college football calendar and typically attracts well over 20,000 fans travelling from the United States in a boost for Irish tourism.

“The biggest brands in college football are interested in this,” said John Anthony, co-founder of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic and executive vice president of hospitality provider On Location.

“They text me, they ask me about it, ‘What years are open?'”

The plan awaits final endorsement of governmental bodies, said Mr Anthony, who co-founded the event with restaurateur Padraic O’Kane.

An estimated 22,900 fans travelled from the United States to see Iowa State beat Kansas State 24-21 on August 23rd at the Aviva Stadium. Attendance was 47,226.

Next year’s game – a rematch between TCU and North Carolina – will be the fifth in what was originally a five-game contract that has already been extended by two years.

The 2027 match-up has been announced as Pittsburgh vs Wisconsin.

“The extension through 2037 we would expect will be all signed off on next month,” Mr Anthony told the AP in an interview.

Fáilte Ireland, the State’s tourism authority, said in a statement there is currently ”no agreement or contract” beyond 2028.

But Mr Anthony added the deal is at “an advanced stage with public and private stakeholders” and that a formal announcement “is expected in due course”.

The Notre Dame game against Navy two years ago brought 40,000 US fans to Dublin. Thousands of them arrive on travel packages that include visits in other Irish cities.

Aer Lingus did not comment on the proposed extension but previously described the games as a big success.

“The popularity of the series is incredible for Ireland and also for Aer Lingus, as it increases our brand recognition in the US, our key market,” Susanne Carberry, the airline’s chief customer officer, told the AP ahead of the August game.

Dublin started hosting games decades ago, but only recently has it turned into an annual event.

In 1988, Boston College beat Navy 38-24 in the Emerald Isle Classic, which featured Pittsburgh and Rutgers the following year. Notre Dame played Navy two other times — in 1996 and 2012. Games were also staged in 2014 and 2016.