Aer Lingus College Football Classic generates €132m for Irish economy
Last year’s Aer Lingus College Football Classic delivered a €132m boost to the Irish economy, according to a new Post-Game Economic Impact Report compiled by Grant Thornton.
The 2025 fixture, played at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, saw Kansas State’s ‘Wildcats’ take on Iowa State’s ‘Cyclones’ in front of 47,226 spectators.
Of those attending, 25,999 travelled from overseas, including 22,910 visitors from the United States.
US visitors stayed for an average of 7.1 nights, compared with two nights for other non-resident attendees.
The game was broadcast live on ESPN, attracting a peak audience of 4.7 million viewers and ranking as the most-watched game of that week in the US.
It was also the second most-watched sports telecast of the weekend, behind golf coverage on NBC.
Significant audiences tuned in from Kansas and Iowa, giving Ireland exposure in new regional US markets.
The report’s publication comes as preparations ramp up for this year’s clash between Texas Christian University and the University of North Carolina on 29 August.
It also coincides with a visit to Dublin by TCU’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Mike Buddie, a former Major League Baseball player with the New York Yankees.
Beyond matchday, organisers say the week-long programme of business and cultural events under the ‘Much More Than A Game’ banner has become central to the Classic’s economic impact.
In 2025, Enterprise Ireland and University College Dublin hosted the inaugural One Health x AgTech summit, where a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with visiting universities.
Nineteen Irish agtech and animal health companies participated, engaging with academics and potential partners from Iowa and Kansas.
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke said the findings underline the event’s growing importance to Ireland’s tourism and trade calendar.
“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.”
Kansas State University cheerleaders perform during a CEO Luncheon at Mansion House in Dublin ahead of the 2025 Aer Lingus College Football Classic. (Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile)
Fáilte Ireland CEO Caroline Bocquel said the event demonstrates the scale of tourism’s economic contribution, while Aer Lingus CEO Lynne Embleton highlighted the airline’s role in transporting teams and supporters.
Padraic O’Kane, CEO of EHL Experiences and co-founder of the Classic, said Ireland’s position on the US college football calendar continues to strengthen, with strong interest from top-tier programmes in playing in Dublin in the years ahead.
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