Last year’s Aer Lingus College Football Classic between Kansas States ‘Wildcats’ and Iowa States ‘Cyclones’, held at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in August, generated a €132m economic boost for the Irish economy, according to a new report.
The Post-Game Economic Impact Report compiled by Grant Thornton, was published as preparations gather pace for this year’s game between Texas Christian University (TCU) and the University of North Carolina (UNC) which takes place on August 29.
The report was launched to coincide with the visit this weekend to Dublin by TCU’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Mike Buddie, previously a Major League Baseball star with the New York Yankees who subsequently moved into sports administration and development.
Other highlights from the research include:
- In total, 47,226 spectators attended the game.
- 25,999 of those who attended were international travellers, 22,910 of whom were from America, meaning US visitors made up around half of those in attendance at the Aviva Stadium.
- US visitors stayed for an average of 7.1 nights whereas other non-resident visitors for 2 nights.
- The game was broadcast live on ESPN in the United States and attracted a peak viewing 4.7 million making it the most watched game of that week.
- The game was the second-most watched sports telecast of the entire weekend, second only to golf coverage on NBC.
- The audience for the game included large numbers from the States of Kansas and Iowa, providing a new audience to the island of Ireland.
As has happened every year since the Classic has been held in Dublin, the festivities around the game extended far beyond the pitch, with business, academic, political, community, social and sporting events taking place throughout the week as part of the ‘Much More Than A Game’ initiative. These activities have fostered strong international ties and generated a substantial economic impact and included Enterprise Ireland and UCD hosting the first One Health x AgTech summit where a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the visiting Universities. This was an extensive programme of events for 19 Irish agtech and animal health companies to present and share knowledge with visiting academics and potential industry partners from Iowa and Kansas. The delegates were addressed by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke as well as the Governors of Kansas and Iowa, Laura Kelly and Kim Reynolds.
Speaking upon publication of the findings, Minister Peter Burke said: “The success of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, as highlighted in today’s report, shows how important the event is in the annual tourism calendar for visitors and locals alike. Mixing business, leisure and sport, the event is an opportunity to build links with parts of the United States that Ireland may not have had the opportunity to do otherwise, as well as providing a great spectacle for the thousands who can go to the Aviva Stadium and the millions watching on television.
“The recent establishment of the “Much More Than A Game” committee co-chaired by an Assistant Secretary General in my Department is an important development in building the profile of the event and deepening the economic and cultural ties that develop from it.“
Caroline Bocquel, CEO of Failte Ireland said: “Tourism is one of Ireland’s most powerful economic engines, and events of this scale show just how significant that impact can be. The Aer Lingus College Football Classic continues to deliver exceptional value for Ireland, attracting tens of thousands of international visitors and generating major national and regional economic benefits.
“Ireland has a unique ability to host world‑class events and festivals that combine our hospitality and unrivalled atmosphere, and this game has become a standout example of that offering. The global broadcast reach also showcases Ireland at its very best to millions of potential future travellers. Fáilte Ireland is proud to support an event that delivers such strong returns for the economy and reinforces Ireland’s reputation as a leading destination for major international sporting and cultural events.”
Lynne Embleton, CEO of Aer Lingus said: “The Aer Lingus College Football Classic plays an important role in fostering deep connections with North America through sport, culture and education. The 2025 game between K-State’s ‘Wildcats’ and Iowa State’s ‘Cyclones’ once again brought an exceptional boost to the Irish economy, with more than 22,000 visitors travelling from the US to see the game.
“Aer Lingus, as the Irish flag carrier, is proud to fly the teams as well as so many of their supporters to Ireland. We are looking forward to another successful game in 2026 as we welcome TCU and North Carolina to Dublin, the European home of college football.
Padraic O’Kane, CEO of EHL Experiences and Co-Founder of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic said: “Ireland and Dublin’s role as a key destination in the US College Football calendar continues to grow, and this report once again underlines the positive impact these games have for the city and the wider economy.
“We are encouraged by the strong interest from several top-tier College Football programs who are keen to play in Dublin in the years ahead. With fixtures of this scale are planned well in advance, it is a testament to the collaborative approach between all partners including the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Aer Lingus, Failte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Dublin City Council that we can continue building on this success year after year.
“We look forward to working together to further strengthen Ireland’s and Dublin’s position as the premier international host for US College Football in the years to come.”
