Stellar line-up fails to boost Aviva Stadium profitability

The return of top-drawer concerts and the Irish soccer team’s momentous qualifying campaign for last summer’s European Championships weren’t enough to boost profits at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium last year.

Around 600,000 flocked to the former Lansdowne Road stadium last year to see 16 events. Newly-filed accounts for the stadium’s operating company New Stadium Designated Activity Company show it generated operating profits of nearly €3.6m for the year, but this was down by 21.5% on the €4.5m generated in 2014.

Despite rock band AC/DC’s July gig heralding a return of the big-name concert to the Aviva following a barren 2014, and exciting matches on the road to the Euros — such as the 1-0 win over Germany in October — the drop in profits was due to there being four less events at the venue than in the previous year and overall combined attendances being down by around 50,000 as a result.