This month sees host city Dublin welcome back the Aer Lingus College Football Classic for the first US college football game of the 2024 season, with a match between Georgia Tech and Florida State University in the Aviva Stadium on Lansdowne Road on Saturday, August 24. With over 47,000 tickets sold, the game is for the second year in a row a sell-out. The gate includes over 25,000 Americans who will be in Dublin for ‘week zero’ of the season.
The game has boosted Ireland’s economy, with Grant Thornton reporting that last year’s game between Navy and Notre Dame (Fighting Irish) generated at least €180 million. Combined with the €53.5m impact of the 2022 fixture between the University of Nebraska and Northwestern University, and projected revenue in excess of €115m this year, the first three games in the initial five-game series are set to be worth over €350 million.
TG4 will for the first time broadcast the match live on free-to-air television in Ireland, while Sky Sports will cover the game in the UK
The clash is #MuchMoreThanAGame, with events taking place across the city, includes pep rallies in Smithfield Square and Merrion Square, live radio and podcast broadcasts and events from top American football presenters in local pubs and whiskey distilleries. Other activities lined up include the high school based Global Ireland Football Tournament (GIFT) at Donnybrook Stadium, as well as shopping trips, and Irish music and dance shows.
Audience
Business events planned around Dublin during the week include the Ireland-US CEO Club, which is set to attract up to 400 Irish and US chief executives. The game is expected to draw a television audience of 3.5 million viewers tuning in across the US. ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot will broadcast from Dame Street in Dublin city centre – the first time the popular pre-game show will be aired from outside the US.
