The Steelers have made many visits to Ireland in the past two years, organizing surveillance celebrations and football clinics to help develop sport and arouse interest in Sunday’s match.
It will be a much larger event than their pre-season trip in 1997. The NFL says that it will look like “a mini super bowl that comes to town”.
The national fans who went to the London Games will rather flock to the Irish capital, and more than 30,000 international visitors are expected, many without tickets and many as fans of other teams.
There will be free fans events across the city from Thursday, incorporating Dublin Castle and Dublin City Hall, plus a three -day event in Merrion Square, which ends with a surveillance party on Sunday for those who do not go to Croke Park.
“They present themselves just to be part of the noise, the excitement, knowing that the NFL is in town, and the 32 teams are represented with the various jerseys,” said Phoebe Schecter, expert in the NFL. “There is so much to hope for – and the Steelers know how to make it big.”
Henry Hodgson, managing director of NFL UK and Ireland, added: “If you have already participated in a sporting or entertainment event in Dublin, you will know that the city really kisses it.
“It is difficult to move away from the feeling that it is totally taken up by the event. We are very delighted to think of all these NFL jerseys at Temple Bar and beyond the next few days.”
Steelers and Vikings organize Pub control in Dublin, but the Chiefs of Kansas City and Green Bay packers are also. The chiefs publicly expressed a Interest to play in Ireland,,, external While the NFL says that other teams have approached them.
There is no guarantee of return to Dublin – the NFL will assess the match on Sunday after the event – but if it has the impact that many provide that the annual NFL games could be part of the city’s sports landscape, as they did in London.
