Why NFL Dublin opens ‘new chapter’ for Irish sport

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings

Date: Sunday, September 28th, 2018 Kick-off: 14:00 BST

When the Dublin announcement was made, NFL broadcaster Michael McQuaid was in New Orleans to watch the Super Bowl last year.

Nothing had prepared the Irish Steelers Podcast host for that fateful February day that the NFL would be making a long-awaited return to Ireland.

He told BBC Sport, “The way it was announced at the Super Bowl, at the time it was already feverish that week, was really special.”

“It really hit home in that moment that so many people on the island of Ireland have achieved what so many people have wanted for a long time,” he said.

The Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park on Sunday, making Dublin the fourth city in Europe to host a regular-season game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, which won six Super Bowls, are one of the NFL’s most legendary franchises, sharing the same record as the New England Patriots.

The Rooney family, whose ancestors immigrated from Newry in Northern Ireland in the 1840s, still owns The Steelers, which were founded in 1933 by Art Rooney.

More than 25 000 people watched Pittsburgh beat the Chicago Bears at Croke Park, the home of Gaelic games, in 1997, as a result of the family’s efforts to maintain close ties to their Irish heritage.

The NFL now estimates that there are 350, 000 fans on the island of Ireland, and the Steelers stated that they wanted to introduce a new game there in 2023 when they were granted marketing rights there.

According to McQuaid, “This is really the encapsulation of the “American Dream.” This family made a real journey by leaving Ireland in the 1840s, crossing over to North America, and then returning almost 200 years later.

“It’s been very fortunate for me to see first-hand how much this family means to them, and they are doing so much this week on this island.

This is going to be on par with everything they’ve done over the past two to three years, and for a family that has been successful for the past two centuries, they’ve done so much.

Over the past two years, the Steelers have visited Ireland numerous times, holding watch parties and football clinics to promote the sport and increase attendance for Sunday’s game.

It will be a lot bigger than their 1997 pre-season trip. The NFL predicts that there will be “a mini Super Bowl coming to town.”

More than 30 000 foreign visitors are expected, many of whom are domestic fans who have attended the London games, many of whom are either fans of other teams or fans of domestic teams.

For those who aren’t heading to Croke Park, there will be free fan events throughout the city starting on Thursday, including Dublin Castle and Dublin City Hall, as well as a three-day tailgate party at Merrion Square.

According to NFL pundit Phoebe Schecter, “They show up just to be a part of the noise, the excitement, and knowing that the NFL is in town, and all 32 teams are represented with the different jerseys.” The Steelers are renowned for having a lot to look forward to.

If you’ve ever attended a sports or entertainment event in Dublin, you’ll know that the city truly embraces it, according to Henry Hodgson, general manager of NFL UK and Ireland.

“It’s difficult to get away from the feeling that the event is completely overtaking.” Over the coming days, we’re very excited to consider all those NFL jerseys in Temple Bar and beyond.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers are staging pub takeovers in Dublin, just like the Steelers and Vikings. The NFL claims that other teams have contacted them and that the Chiefs have publicly expressed interest in playing in Ireland.

In Dublin, The Steelers have also set up a store that will be open all year long. It sells all the team goods you would expect, as well as the small ” rally ” towels that Pittsburgh fans are known for.

They were introduced during the team’s 1976 Super Bowl victory, and former player Max Starks has been traveling Ireland this week to distribute them to locals. They are known as “Terrible Towels.” He even bumped into two Mexican Steelers fans.

The Steelers have produced a special edition with the Irish tricolour, which McQuaid described as “a historical item.” The towels are traditionally yellow.