US Sports

In the clearest sign yet that Dublin will soon host a regular season NFL game, some American bigwigs are visiting with GAA officials this week.

With the NFL confirming they would host two games overseas from next season, with London hosting one, Dublin was rumoured to be in the running because of the American ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney.

Rooney’s family own the Pittsburgh Steelers and he is one of the most influential owners in the NFL. Then Roger Goddell, the boss of the NFL confirmed last week that Dublin was a definite possibility.

Now Croke Park stadium director Peter McKenna has confirmed a meeting between the GAA and NFL will take place this Friday.

"We are hosting a delegation on Friday from the NFL. We have been looking at this issue (hosting a regular season game) for some time and have been very encouraged by the huge support we have received from US Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney, who is also chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers in recent months," Mr McKenna told the Irish Examiner.

The game would be sure to attract a massive sell-out crowd and the boost to the economy would be welcome. If it does go ahead we think the Steelers would have to be part of the deal, another piece of good news as they are one of the best teams in the NFL.

With Notre Dame to play Navy in Aviva next March in a college footbll game, it looks like we are turning to US sports to get us out of this recession.

It’s worth a try anyway?