GAA want to use EU presidency to promote All-Ireland finals

A general view of Croke Park. Pic ©INPHO/Tom Maher

The GAA are keen to showcase their senior championships at the outset of Ireland’s presidency of the EU later this year.

Following on from the example set by the Pittsburgh Steelers-Minnesota Vikings game last September, GAA stadium and commercial director Peter McKenna wants to make the games Dublin-wide events.

“I think it's almost taking the signature of what the NFL do. They take over the city. Now, should we do that? Dublin City Council, to be fair, would be very positive about that.

“I'd also be pushing the fact that we have a huge opportunity with the Irish presidency of the EU for the last six months of the year. That coincides very well with our four national games held over that month (July).

“It would be a great opportunity for us to showcase that. These are aspects of our culture, which are very distinct and very different from what's elsewhere in Europe.” 

McKenna is optimistic the NFL will be returning to Croke Park in 2027 or ’28 as the Steelers-Vikings game was “the most visited international game by Americans the NFL have had”.

McKenna revealed the sale of food and beverage at the NFL game five months ago was “off the charts”. He said: “Something like Oasis would be a high point for us, but the NFL was double that again. I mean, Oasis would probably be double what an All-Ireland final is, to just give you some sense of the type of turnover that happens.” 

McKenna confirmed the GAA’s second hotel in Clonliffe will be open ahead of schedule in April. Like the current Croke Park Hotel, it will be operated under the auspices of The Doyle Collection and should deliver €2 million in passive income per annum for the GAA.

“It will play a large part in what we do in our conference business. But also for people coming up for the weekend, it's a great place to stay. Not taking from our existing hotel, those guys have done a great job for the last 15 to 20 years.” 

Meanwhile, the throw-in times for the Cork-Limerick and Waterford-Tipperary games on April 26 have been flipped.

The game in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, a rematch of last year’s provincial final, will throw in at 2pm, while the match in Azzurri Walsh Park will begin at 4pm. The switch follows a request by RTÉ who are showing a provincial football game later that afternoon.