Updated: 510pm
THE GAA LOOK set to cash in on the success of last year’s Emerald Isle Classic by hosting up to three NCAA college football games between now and 2018.
TheScore.ie understands that talks are underway to host games in 2014, 2016 and 2018 with high-profile teams such as Penn State, Notre Dame and even reigning national champions Alabama thought to be amongst those interested in playing here.
Reports in the US today suggest a Penn State-UCF game will be announced on Sunday.
Sources close to the negotiations have told TheScore.ie that a “five-year deal” was being put in place to host other games.
Tight-lipped
Speaking in February, Penn State’s associate athletics director Greg Myford told TheScore.ie that they were “very interested” in a game in Ireland, if they could find an opponent.
That issue now appears to be resolved though UCF remain tight-lipped with a spokesperson for the college responding to request for comment on Monday by saying:
“With nothing being official yet, unfortunately we will not be able to conduct interviews at this time.”
With regards the other games, while last weekend’s Sunday Times reported that Notre Dame – who played Navy in 2012′s Emerald Isle Classic – were being lined up for a return in 2016, TheScore.ie understands that no team has been officially approached for either the 2016 or 2018 dates.
However, given their links with this country, the Fighting Irish, as well as the likes of Alabama and Boston College, are all being considered.
Additionally, while some outlets have speculated that Croke Park could even host a prestigious NCAA Bowl Game, it is thought that the venue is more likely to attract regular season games than end-of-season showcases.
Croke Park could be set for a financial windfall if their bid to host multiple college football games is successful.
Image: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
Croke Park has some history of hosting American football games with Notre Dame defeating Navy 54-27 at the venue in 1996 while the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears contested a pre-season friendly there the following year.
Financial Impact
Though it was widely reported that last year’s Emerald Isle Classic raised €100 million for the local economy – thanks in large part to 35,000 fans travelling from the US for the game – documentation from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport seen by TheScore.ie indicates that figure was actually closer to €25 million.
However, with three potential games in the pipeline, these events would still have a positive financial impact on both the GAA and the local economy.
Despite numerous efforts to contact them over the last week, nobody from Croke Park was available to comment.
Additional reporting by Niall Kelly and Ben Blake.
Brilliant news, I hope these games do come to Ireland. Fantastic tourist boost & a great day out.
That game last year in the Avia really boost the retail sector, not just in Dublin but Bray & Greystones had a fair share of guests too. Great for the smaller economies of Ireland as well as the big.
I happened to be holidaying in Co. Clare at the time and met a lot of Americans who where over for the match and decided to make a big holiday out of it and travel around Ireland do id say there was a lot of money being spread around the country because of it.
CHA CHIIIING!
Armoured egg ball.
You must be so tough and manly
If last years event is anything to go by it could just be what the country needs,a major boost for tourism and a fantastic sucess,bring it on.
Music to my ears , hopefully the NFL are taking note ,
would love to see my Chicago Bears in town again
steelers vs bears in Croker, now ur talking!
Just noticed the green, white and gold boots of Notre Dame player. Class!
The Irish flag is Green White & Orange. Not gold.
Check out http://www.1848tricolour.com to find out the origin & meaning of our national flag.
boots are actually green, white and orange
Its great news but this always makes me laugh about the GAA, The debates that go on (not so much anymore it has to be said) when there’s a ‘foreign’ game played on GAA hallowed ground. Yet there was never any problem when American football games were held there.
Wasn’t it just English games they had issue with? Don’t remember it ever being “foreign” as you’ve quoted.
Officially it was ‘foreign’ games. (But they really meant English)
John dropping truthbombs.
Im droping regular bombs. Ghost mayhem.
Living here in Penn State(state college) rumours circulating that the game isn’t going ahead in Ireland next year. Going to keep pushing though.
Brillant news, love to see CF coming back great buzz around the city the last time!
CF? I don’t know what you mean?
College football
Fantastic. Missed the last one due to lack of funds but will get to one of these.
Any chance tickets will be available to people living in Ireland?
This is fantastic news for Croke Park, the GAA and Irish tourism. Hopefully the Rugby World Cup will follow these three fixtures. Well dine to all concerned.
i find notre dame offensive and have no interest in going to see them and their leprechaun bullshit there as Irish as pizza
John –
I don’t know how ‘offended’ one can reasonably be when an institution is saluting a big part of its heritage in good faith.
Notre Dame mixes a lot of cultural influences.
The name is French, the kilts and bagpipes are Scottish, the athletes come from all over the US. The teams best coaches were of Norwegian (Knute Rockne) and Armenian (Ara Parseghian) heritage. A bunch of the best players in its history are of African heritage.
It’s kind of … what America does: mix things together and sees what emerges.
Irish Catholics looked to Notre Dame as a source of pride as the Irish immigrants were working to earn respect in America.
And they succeeded, and Notre Dame’s football and academics helped with that ans symbolize it.
So bite me.
It’s a mascot, genius.
Wrong stadium though.
A football pitch is quite narrow and would be lost in the vastness that is Croke Park.
It would be less satisfactory for the attendees.
30,000 more people can fit in to Croker compared to Lansdowne.
In terms of viewing experience, a football/rugby ground would be better due to pitch size but personally I think the benefits of space for an extra 32k fans outweigh it slightly.
For the Yanks coming over who want the Oirish experience, having the game in Croker serves a dual purpose as its the home of the GAA too. Landsdowne Road just doesn’t have the same appeal.
Norte dame represent all the bad irish american stereotypical of shamrocks, rollicking leprechauns and beer-drinking just look at your mascot it’s tacky and cheap and offensive if you think people in Ireland want to go to a American football game to look at that cheap rubbish good luck your not irish and should be more respectful when visiting another country