Last year’s Aer Lingus College Football Classic – which featured Notre Dame (Fighting Irish) and Navy – is calculated to have generated a significant €180m boost for the Irish economy.
The economic impact report was carried out by Grant Thornton, and underscores the significance of supporting and leveraging international sporting events to enhance Irish tourism, bolster the local economy, and foster business links.
This year’s match will be between Georgia Tech and Florida State University, while it was recently revealed that the 2025 edition will feature Kansas State University and Iowa State University. Kansas State University and Iowa State University to Contest 2025 Aer Lingus College Football Classic | ittn.ie
Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland said: “As the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland quickly recognised the tourism potential of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic to attract large numbers of visitors from the USA, and we are pleased to help bring this major US sporting event to Ireland.”
“I would like to pay tribute to the vision of Martin and Carmel Naughton and family for initiating and championing this great Irish American connection, which now drives significant economic benefit for Ireland, not only through tourism but also through wider business and academic channels. We look forward to working closely with event sponsors including Aer Lingus and Grant Thornton, and Irish American Events LTD, and we hope to make this series a permanent fixture in the US College Football and Irish tourism calendars.”
Minister for Tourism, Catherine Martin said: “The Aer Lingus College Football Classic is a prime example of how strategic events align with government policy and Fáilte Ireland’s vision for destination development. With an economic impact of €180 million for last year’s exceptional event, initiatives of this scale not only bolster local economies but also spread business opportunities throughout the country.”
“We are the proud title sponsor of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, so I am really pleased that it continues to have such a positive impact on the Irish economy. It draws throngs of American fans to Ireland, boosting tourism and strengthening our connection with college football fans across the USA. The announcement of the 2025 teams fuels the momentum, and we eagerly await welcoming those fans to Dublin,” said Lynne Embleton, Aer Lingus CEO.
Padraic O’Kane, from Irish American Events Ltd, expressed his reaction: “With the strong interest from other top-tier College Football teams and the resulting confirmation of the 2025 game between Kansas State University and Iowa State University, The Aer Lingus College Football Classic series has truly solidified Dublin, and Ireland, as the global location of choice for the opening game of the College Football Season on an annual basis into the future.”
“It is a credit to the Aer Lingus College Football Classic stakeholders that they have transformed the ambition of Ireland hosting a major international sporting and tourism event series into a successful reality.”
Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “The €180 million impact of last year’s Aer Lingus College Football Classic demonstrates the significance of hosting large-scale, international sporting events. We know visitors from the United States tend to stay longer, spend more and tour extensively around our regions, so the visiting fans from the US contributed substantially to local tourism businesses right across the island.”
“We’re now looking forward to the Georgia Tech v Florida State University game this summer and the Kansas State University v Iowa State University in summer 2025. Our message to the teams and their fans is that we cannot wait to welcome them to Dublin and Ireland. Tourism Ireland in the United States will be working closely with Anthony Travel, the official travel company for both colleges, and other travel partners, to maximise the tourism benefits of these games.”
