THE GAA HAS revealed that it will not be hosting an American football game in 2016.
Although it had not been officially announced, Boston College and Georgia Tech were set to meet in the latest Croke Park Classic at Headquarters late next year.
A move from the last weekend in August was mooted in order to avoid a repeat of 2014 — when a clash saw the All-Ireland semi-final replayed switched to Limerick.
The42 understands that Enda Kenny had been due to confirm the event during his visit to the US for St Patrick’s Day, and his failure to do so was a sign that there were still stumbling blocks to overcome.
And, in a statement released this evening, the GAA announced that no game would take place, citing financial reasons.
The strength of the dollar against the euro means that the staging of the game at Croke Park was no longer viable for the Association without significant support from government agencies,” it reads.
However, The42 also believes that the shortfall is less than half a million euro and private funding could yet save the Croke Park Classic.
The game would have been the third of its kind in Ireland over the last five years after the Emerald Isle Classic between Notre Dame and Navy at the Aviva Stadium in 2012 and the meeting of Penn State and the University of Central Florida in 2014.
Terrible news
Croke Park Classic cancelled because of the exchange rate?? THANKS ECB
The ECB sets interest rates, not exchange rates.
How is this the ECB’s fault? Surely the current exchange rate would encourage more US visitors here? Or what genius analyss have you came up with?
Real shame. Even if you’re not an Ameican Football fan the atmosphere that built up around the city the week of the game was always something special.
quick give Garth Brookes a shout
Definitely worth an article on here at least ;)
Very disappointing. The 2014 match was a great boost for tourism and not just in Dublin either. 10 days after the match we still had visitors in Waterford who had been at the game. Pity.
As long as cancelling a game gives people the chance to whinge about the GAA and to ask what it does with all its money, get involved with your local club and find out if you really want to know
Step in Aviva stadium, id rather see a FULL venue than nothing tbh
Absolutely. Full house at the Aviva in 2012. Simply move it back there and eff the GAA.
Less spectators and same costs. It’d be harder for the Aviva to stage
Typical of the GAA, get someone else to cover the expenses of the event while the cream the profits.
Would someone tell me what do the GAA do with all their money?
Please don’t tell me it goes to the grassroots because if it did you wouldn’t have GAA clubs selling raffle tickets,bag packing etc. to try and get a few bob for the underage teams.
Why wouldn’t you have GAA clubs trying to raise revenue individually of central council exactly? I think you may be confusing revenues, which is what the central GAA have, and all the money you could ever need for absolutely anything, which is what the central GAA don’t have.
https://www.gaa.ie/gaa-news-and-videos/daily-news/1/0302141105-gaa-annual-accounts-2013-published/
Wreck yourself, all the info you want
To copper 96. What a silly, stupid and uninformed 3 sentences.
Kopper… Over 1 million involved in the GAA, around €50m turnover = €50 per head involved. That barely covers playing insurance FFS!
If it was to be held in August or any date which might possibly no matte how remote clash with a GAA event then it should not be held. If the Yanks as they appear to do want to play here why not the Aviva or any other stadium large enough?
Croke should ALWAYS give priority to GAA games.
NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) season starts on September 3rd (this year) and generally it doesn’t open earlier than late August. I think the problem is you need bigger teams like Boston College, Notre Dame (with traditional Irish ties) or school’s with massive fanbases like Ohio State, Texas, U of Southern California, Michigan then GAA could generate more revenue.
Fecking typical GAA they couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery . And before the dope heads come in with the “stupid sport comment ” these games are worth a huge amount to the local economy .
So atleast they were the only ones trying no?
So what should the GAA have done in your opinion, hedge off currency risk years in advance? Pity the GAA’s FX director was off sick when the ECB announced their QE policies eh? Clown!
Gerard, they only organise and run the largest sports organisation on the island! But obviously they couldn’t organise anything
They will be to busy fixing draws for hurling & football like most years
Veronica, 4 draws in 50 years in the hurling championship! But don’t let facts stop you
It’s hardly the GAA’s fault that nobody gives a bollocks about collegiate American football.
Wayne I think you will find its a lot more than 4 draws in 50 years
Colm replays are rarer than he a teeth in the hurling Championship, could probably count the number in the last 30 years in my fingers
Wayne there was 5 draws in last year’s championship ,if you include the clare wexford replay going to extra time and as one of yhe teams were a man down and extra time is considered the start of a new game they were allowed back to a full 15 then that makes 6 in 1 year
Good man Colm and historically 4 drawn all Ireland finals in 50 years and the number of those drawn games that ended up as replays to generate extra revenue as the original post implied?
Your original post did not mention the all Ireland final it mentions a lack of draws in the hurling champions
We can kiss goodbye to hosting an NFL game here now. Incapable of seeing the big picture as usual.
Ireland was never in the running for that.
Germany is the next location in the queue for an NFL ‘International Series’ game.
Business,
Why Germany? Unless things have changed there is hardly any interest in American football over there, even in those areas where US bases were, more interest in Rugby eg Berlin no US football at least 3 rugby clubs civilian that is in 1999. More interest in UK in American football and that’s small enough. More connection between UK and US than US and Germany.
Dan Rooney says otherwise
@business
steve Germany has the 2nd highest rate of subscription per person to the nfl network in Europe , Mexico and Germany are next for international series games
@Steve Tracey, Germany has a HUGE NFL fanbase, possibly even bigger than the UK. They’ve been crying out for an NFL game for years. When NFL Europe was still running the German teams were getting double the attendance of any other countries teams and were the only ones left when it closed. Somewhere in the region of 12,000 people attend the finals of the still active German Football League, the only pro league active outside of North America.
Graeme
Colm
I stand corrected obviously interest has built up since I was last there. Probably due to TV.
Great news
Financial reasons. The GAA. Riiiight.
The NCAA & the teams involved are paid to come over.
With the collapse in the Euro v Dollar, that cost is now 35% higher vs last year.
Its not fair on the GAA to take that hit.
They said they are happy to accommodate if they get government assistance.
No doubt if the IRFU were approached, they would have the same qualms.
That’s a pity as I enjoyed last years game, I’m guessing it’s off due to the fact that they’re so reliant on expecting US fans to travel and take up the bulk of the tickets. The NFL games in London don’t have that problem as it’s the NFL and people will travel from across Europe to get to those games. Croke Park was probably too big for it anyway, there was a lot of empty space in the stadium last year.
Great news. Disgrace that an all Ireland SF had to be moved because of a college game that’s worse to look at than rugger.
If there is any remote chance it could clash with a gaa game it shouldn’t go ahead
U8 Camogie blitz that day. Agreed. Stuff the huge tourism benefits