NFL chief defends €10m government spend on Vikings vs Steelers and says Ireland to gain ‘direct and indirect' benefits
GRIDIRON supremo Henry Hodgson insists Ireland will earn much more than the €10m the State is spending to bring the NFL to Dublin.
The
this country
.
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Pictured at Dublin Castle marking the announcement of the 2025 international schedule is Henry Hodgson, General Manager NFL UK and Ireland
Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
As part of the partnership between the
NFL
and the Government, taxpayers' cash will be used to fund the fixture.
But Hodgson, who is the NFL's general manager for
Ireland
and the
UK
, said the glamour match will generate millions more for the local economy.
He said: 'It is the process we use in all the cities we go into around the world, but it is important to underscore that that is not the only investment.
'Teams are making a significant investment to bring the game here, the NFL is making a significant investment.
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'It is part of the process but what we can see in terms of the cities we go into, what that investment looks like, in terms of economic impact, direct and indirect, and the social impact.'
When asked how much other economies had benefited from hosting the NFL, he replied: 'It differs from city to city, depending on size of stadium etc, but we have seen ranges from Munich — €85 million, to €120-€130 million in
London
.'
Brazil
on September 5.
The Vikings will follow up their game against the Steelers in Dublin with a trip to London to face the Cleveland Browns at the
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London will also host the
Madrid
.
Emotional Fox NFL Sunday star Michael Strahan says goodbye as his hit show ends
books
at the
Dublin also hosts
Aviva
Stadium.
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And Hodgson said he believed Ireland had potential as a growing market for the NFL.
He said: 'In terms of population, it is smaller than other
markets
we could go into, but in terms of passion for NFL fans, we saw that and heard that.
'The
next
two biggest factors are the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Rooney
family
and their connection to Ireland and wanting to bring the game back in terms of their heritage.
'And then the tremendous support we have had from the Government,
the city
here in Dublin and from Croke Park and the
GAA
.
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'What we have seen is that globally, this is something Ireland is renowned for, and we saw that clearly.'
Hodgson confirmed that GAA HQ will not be at full capacity for the game — with the attendance being in the region of 76,000 people — while an unconfirmed number of seats will be added to Hill 16.
Ticket prices will also be confirmed at a later date, but are expected to be in the region of what it costs for fans to attend games in London.
The game will be televised via NFL Game Pass for markets outside the US.
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But Hodgson confirmed talks were now underway with Irish broadcasters as well.
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