The prospect of an NFL American football fixture being held in Dublin is “under active consideration” among members of the Government, Minister for Tourism and Sport Catherine Martin has confirmed.
On Thursday, the Irish Times reported concern in Coalition circles over whether such a game would deliver the economic benefits that other international events, such as the now-annual College Football Classic, have in recent times.
“I would say it’s under active consideration,” the Green Party TD told reporters. “I think we’ve seen the absolute benefit in real terms of the college football, so you can imagine what [an NFL game] would do.”
Work is ongoing at the department to assess the potential value of an NFL game in Croke Park or the Aviva Stadium in Dublin against the cost to the taxpayer, including the hefty licence fee the league would command for the game.
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Ms Martin and Minister of State for Sport Thomas Byrne were speaking at an event in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium to unveil details of the Coalition’s new “Major International Sports Events Policy and Strategy Framework”. Ms Martin said the framework would “put a real system in place so Ireland can engage with exciting new future opportunities”.
In the policy document, officials highlighted that other countries such as Denmark and Wales have dedicated large sports events agencies to co-ordinate and market international fixtures and competitions taking place within their jurisdiction.
[ Government has told Uefa it wants to host more Euro 2028 matchesOpens in new window ]
However, Mr Byrne ruled out the possibility of such a dedicated body in Ireland, despite a strong appetite in Government to attract large-scale international contests, saying the current cross-Government approach was best.
“At the moment, what happens is [international sports bodies or teams] come to our department and our department will – either through Fáilte Ireland or other outside bodies – do an economic analysis,” he said.
“That’s done independently. The officials then will give a recommendation, yes or no, on that to the ministers, and then ministers have to decide whether to go to the government. And then the government makes a decision.
“I don’t think we need an agency and that’s not something we envisage.”
The Minister said Government has turned down hosting some contests due to the costs associated relative to the economic benefit of holding the event in the Republic.
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