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Steelers to play in Croke Park this Autumn · The Irish Steelers Podcast

• 0:05
  Speaker 1: And everybody welcome into a very very special episode all
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: of the Irish Stadious podcast. I'm your host Michael mcquid,
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: as we celebrate a historic day not only in the
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: history of American football in Ireland, but in the history
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: of the Pittsburgh Staeters. You're listening to the Irish Stadters
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: podcast presented by aer Lingus, the Irish airline. Air Lingus
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: has just announced on Friday plans to become an official
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: airline partner of the Pittsburgh Staters. As the founding partner
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: of Stedars Ireland, Aerlingus will be welcoming the Staters and
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: all of Staters Nation to Dublin this autumn for what's
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: said to be a fantastic NFL showdown. For listeners outside
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: of Ireland. You can book your flight to Dublin now
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: at erlingus dot com to make sure you don't miss
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: out on any of the actions. And that's right. There's
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: a really historic day here for the Pittsburgh Staters as
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: they have been announced as the first ever designated home
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: team to play a game on the island of Ireland,
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: an NFL game in Croke Park Stadium later this year.
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: This is a very special podcast we're going to be
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: joined by Don Rooney, the director of Business Development and
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: the Strategy for the Staters, and we're also going to
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: be joined by Peter McKenna, who is the stadium director
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: for Kroke Park Stadium. On the day that the Steelers
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: make history. They will play a game in Kroke Park
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: Stadium at some point this year, which will be confirmed
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: over the next few months. Let's firstly hear from Director
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: of Business Development and Strategy Don Rooney as he reflects
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: on a historic day for the Pittsburgh Staters franchise. Absolutely
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: delighted to be joined by Don Rooney after the historic
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: announcement of the Steelers playing their first game in Krooke
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: Park for a regular season game. Don, it's great to
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: see how you feeling this morning.
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: Doing well, Michael. Exciting times here in New Orleans around
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: this big announcement and pretty incredible as we were chatting
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: the Steelers making the global markets announcement back in May
• 1:57
  Speaker 2: of twenty twenty three, and now we're looking at a
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: game in Dublin, Ireland in Croke Park in twenty twenty five,
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: so we're extremely excited.
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: It's one thing to talk about the actual announcement. You know,
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: for yourself personally, for the team, what is most exciting
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: to you to have this opportunity not just to plan Onland,
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: but you're the first team to do so as well.
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it just starts with our family history, Michael,
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: the Rooney family immigrating over from the island of Ireland
• 2:25
  Speaker 2: back in the eighteen hundreds, and you know, just all
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: the connection we have with the Irish people and how
• 2:30
  Speaker 2: special the country is to my family, and the fact
• 2:33
  Speaker 2: that the Steelers played a game over at Croke Park
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: in nineteen ninety seven. I think I was around seven
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: years old back then, but have vague memories of it,
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: and you know, my grandfather's time as the US Ambassada Ireland.
• 2:45
  Speaker 2: The fact that we're now staring at a regular season
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: game where our team and our fans are going to
• 2:51
  Speaker 2: get a chance to travel to Dublin to take in
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: you know, big time American football, you know, historic moment
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: for our franchise.
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: It really really is. I remember we were talking another
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: ago about the initial press conference in Dublin a couple
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: of years ago. How did this allt transpire? Did it
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: really start from Nan or has it really been a
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: process going for an ongoing period of time. How did
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: you get to the stitch?
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: It's really an ode to the NFL and their vision
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: to expand our game globally. You know, the NFL's initiative
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: to increase the inventory of international games, and as the
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: commissioner set that mission out, Dublin became a real possibility.
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: You see, how the College Football Classic performs on a
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: yearly basis shows off the you know, the spirit and
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: energy in Dublin being able to host large scale events.
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: And I do think the league has taken notice to
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: the number of American football fans in Ireland, across the island,
• 3:42
  Speaker 2: and you know, all of the excitement the Steelers have
• 3:45
  Speaker 2: been able to generate there over the past few years.
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: That's all been noticed by the NFL, and Dublin is
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: situated perfectly to be next on the map for a game.
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: You mentioned the College Football tossic There one thing that
• 3:57
  Speaker 1: really has changed since ninety seven with that preseason game
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: is probably the improvement and infrastructure and also stadia. How
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: was Krook Park selected? How did Krook Park stand out
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: in that sense?
• 4:07
  Speaker 2: Yeah, again, another question for the NFL in terms of
• 4:10
  Speaker 2: how they made a decision. There are two you know,
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: elite venues in Dublin, Aviva in Croke. You know, Croke
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: has so much history that we've been able to learn
• 4:21
  Speaker 2: more of over the past few years, and you know,
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: the GAA's presence there is immense the big time concerts
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: that take place at Croke Park. Just really excited for
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: for our franchise to be able to join in on
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: that history that I know is very special to the
• 4:35
  Speaker 2: Irish people.
• 4:36
  Speaker 1: I spoke with Peter mccawna today as well and sort
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: of mentioned that it's really the dawn of a new
• 4:41
  Speaker 1: year for the stadium. I think a lot of people
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: Steelers fans are apple say it's a very very exciting time.
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: So we're really looking forward to that. What's the value
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: for the NFL but also the steters of playing a
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: game internationally. Yes, you can bring funds over, but don
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: it seems like a lot, like a like a lot
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: more than that as well.
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: Yeah, there's nothing better than a live American football game.
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: So the fact that you know, fans from all over
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: the world can can travel to this game, our our
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: Irish fans will have it right right there in their backyard,
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: you know, huge for for growing the fan base of
• 5:10
  Speaker 2: American football fans and Steelers fans and you know, promoting
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: our sport of American football, and you know, we know
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: there's a big passion for for participating and playing in
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: the sport. We've held several youth football clinics across the
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: island over the past few years and have seen a
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: big interest. So this game is only going to further
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: ignite the you know, the power of American football and
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: sharing that with the with the Irish people.
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: Talk about sharing it with the Irish people. You're buying
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: on because some of the things that you guys have
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: done over the last couple of years have been so memorable,
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: from watch parties to flag football events. Just in terms
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: of from now until the game later in the year,
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: what type of activities do you have planned? There is
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: a very much a witnancy in terms of an exciting way.
• 5:53
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, if you look at what we've done
• 5:55
  Speaker 2: over the past few years around big NFL events, the
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: Steelers have had a presence in Ireland. So if it's
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: something around the draft, you can expect that bringing our alumni,
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: big big name former Steelers over to to you know,
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: engage with the Irish and teach our game, also bring
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: current players over to see the country that they'll be
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: playing a game in next season. All important for us,
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: and you know, we're really excited to continue to travel
• 6:22
  Speaker 2: over to Ireland to bring the Steelers brand.
• 6:24
  Speaker 1: I feel like the next team months are going to
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: fly in and you mentioned the fans there, but I
• 6:29
  Speaker 1: feel as well when we've got our kidded league with
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: AFI and so many different things go on. How have
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: you seen the game of American football growing Ireland? Even
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: from that announcements with the Global Markets program in twenty
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: twenty fleets, it's got bigger and bigger, even in the
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: space for a couple of years.
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: Yeah, every time we travel over, we hear more chatter
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: about American football. We see more terrible towels in Steelers
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: jerseys walking around Ireland. So we've certainly seen it from
• 6:54
  Speaker 2: that level. We've seen our listeners go up on this
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: great podcast that you host, and all of our followers
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: on our Steelers Irish channels, and you know, we know
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: that the Irish people like to tune into red Zone
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: in our games and love fantasy football, so all of
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: that continues to go up. And you know, the work
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: that the AFI has done to really grow the sport
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: from a grassroots level. They've been fantastic partners of ours
• 7:19
  Speaker 2: and in all of our camps, and the NFL has
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: done a fantastic job with the International Player Pathway program
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: and NFL Academy. You're you're seeing Irish athletes participate in
• 7:29
  Speaker 2: all these programs, and you know, some great athletes coming
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: from from the island, and they seem to have a
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: liking for American football.
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: I don't recall a time where I've seen such an
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: excitement honestly, not just with the game, but just around
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: everyone else. So it's it's just an exciting time. Look,
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: what do you hope comes of this scheme in terms
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: of the status planet art and what would you like
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: the legacy to be in terms of the scheme coming
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: up this year.
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: Really continuing on what has already been established. We said
• 7:56
  Speaker 2: from the start, the Steelers want to be Ireland's NFL team,
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: and that's through you know, real real connection that's through
• 8:03
  Speaker 2: my families. You know, ties back back to the back
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: to the island. Everything my grandfather you know, has worked
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: on with Ireland. You know, we hope this game only
• 8:13
  Speaker 2: furthers our connection with the Irish people, and you know,
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: we're we're excited to get you know, Pittsburgh on on
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: the global map. This is big for our hometown of
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: Pittsburgh as well, to play a game internationally and put
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: a big spotlight on on our hometown, which we love
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: so much. So, you know, just continuing to further the
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: connection between Pittsburgh and Ireland, the Steelers in Ireland, in
• 8:33
  Speaker 2: the NFL and Ireland. The game is going to be
• 8:36
  Speaker 2: a great launching pad for that.
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: Yeah, the first time is twenty thirteen. It's it's just
• 8:40
  Speaker 1: really really cool to see what happened, especially for the
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: Steels and for the city of Pittsburgh as well. So
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: it's going to be a great few months. I guess. Finally,
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: it would be a missively not to say it. Don
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: you talk about your grandfather there and your family. You know,
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: we've seen through the years ninety seven the push to
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: hopefully get well and even offer out there. It came
• 8:56
  Speaker 1: to pass, and we know, I how the opportunity this
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: year really creating his tree. You almost be very very
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: proud of what you've achieved even to this point, because
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: it's it's a monumental achievement. And I think when we say,
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: you know, fank you for what has happened over the
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: last few months. But the excitement done is is just
• 9:11
  Speaker 1: something else.
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: Yep, the excitement is certainly bubbling up and we'll continue
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: to the closer we get to this game next season.
• 9:20
  Speaker 2: And I do know my grandfather would be proud of
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: the organization for taking this step and the fact that
• 9:26
  Speaker 2: the NFL opened this opportunity up where we're just thankful
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: and you know, can't can't wait to kick the kick
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: the ball off over there in Dublin.
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: I have no doubt he'll be looking down smiling when
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: it happens. Thank you so much for your time, not
• 9:38
  Speaker 1: just today but also over the last couple of years.
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: Congratulations and we will chat to you very soon. Again. Done. Thanks.
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: It's great to hear from Don Rooney and what's not
• 9:46
  Speaker 1: just a fantastic day for the team, but surely you know,
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: an emotional day for the Rooney family and a fantastic
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: day of day that we really have been waiting a
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: long time to hear and see we're gonna hear from
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: stadium director and crok Park Peter mcckennon on what it
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: means to actually have this game in such an iconic
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: stadium like Croup Park. Peter, You're very welcome to the
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: R Shooters podcast on this historic there, Peter, this is
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: a landmark moment for Crook Park. You know, talk to
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: us around the planning that was involved and the work.
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: Did it actually talked for us to get to this stage.
• 10:17
  Speaker 3: Yeah, it's it's amazing, Michael. You know, our first I
• 10:23
  Speaker 3: suppose an application to the NFL was back in twenty twelve,
• 10:28
  Speaker 3: and I remember sending a guy over to New York
• 10:30
  Speaker 3: with our application to see we could be considered to be,
• 10:34
  Speaker 3: you know, part of their new international program. And now
• 10:37
  Speaker 3: you roll on, you know, fourteen years or so, and
• 10:41
  Speaker 3: now it's real, and it's just unbelievable. It's it's I
• 10:45
  Speaker 3: mean massive excitement that I mean, the the NFL is
• 10:49
  Speaker 3: without the biggest sport that there is, So it's it's
• 10:53
  Speaker 3: it's a huge it's a huge achievement and we're all
• 10:57
  Speaker 3: thrilled to be to be selected.
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: You know, Peter, for you personally, you were on the
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: scene when this team played here in nineteen ninety seven,
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: and you're obviously not a key stakeholder in the venue
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: hosting the game this fall on a personal level. What
• 11:10
  Speaker 1: does this mean to you?
• 11:12
  Speaker 3: Yeah, way back in ninety seven, I was working in
• 11:14
  Speaker 3: a publishing company, so I was involved in producing programs
• 11:18
  Speaker 3: and stuff for it with one of the national sponsors,
• 11:22
  Speaker 3: the Smartfet Group. So now to have it moved right
• 11:27
  Speaker 3: through and into sports, which has transformed since then, particularly
• 11:31
  Speaker 3: only in the domestic front, this is I mean, it's like,
• 11:38
  Speaker 3: I don't know how to describe it, like getting flying
• 11:40
  Speaker 3: erraws or something like that. So you know, We've I've hosted,
• 11:43
  Speaker 3: I've been in charge of fifty or our on finals
• 11:47
  Speaker 3: or more here and crow Parark International, soccer, international, rugby
• 11:51
  Speaker 3: six nations, some of the world's great concerts. You two, Coldplay,
• 11:56
  Speaker 3: Rolling Stones. But this is the big baby, This is
• 12:01
  Speaker 3: the This is when opera comes to town in its
• 12:04
  Speaker 3: great magnificence.
• 12:06
  Speaker 1: Obviously, Peter Today itself is going to be quite different
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: to a GA game. What can fans expect from Crewe
• 12:10
  Speaker 1: Parkler on this year?
• 12:12
  Speaker 3: I think it's going to be a great mingling you have.
• 12:15
  Speaker 3: You know, American fans are going to come across and
• 12:17
  Speaker 3: they will be well used to you know, what is
• 12:21
  Speaker 3: a very very long day or day that's full of excitement,
• 12:25
  Speaker 3: you know of you know the tail party and Crowns
• 12:28
  Speaker 3: gathering and then go into the game and you know
• 12:30
  Speaker 3: all the the entertainment and they have food and drink
• 12:33
  Speaker 3: to go with that for the for the g a
• 12:37
  Speaker 3: fan for the Irish fan. More and more used to
• 12:40
  Speaker 3: like arriving, you know, half an hour before the whistle,
• 12:43
  Speaker 3: whistle goes and so on. So I think you're going
• 12:45
  Speaker 3: to get two cultures coming together. Certainly any of the
• 12:49
  Speaker 3: big fan bases here in Dublin. When when you sit
• 12:52
  Speaker 3: into a broad they get right into it. They know
• 12:54
  Speaker 3: exactly what where, and I think the number of I
• 12:57
  Speaker 3: was surprised when we in Munich. Every supporter where's their
• 13:01
  Speaker 3: team colors, even though their team may not be playing.
• 13:03
  Speaker 3: So it's a massive pageantry. It's almost like commodi grand
• 13:06
  Speaker 3: a sense.
• 13:07
  Speaker 1: I mean, it is tremendous, Peter, it's a big, big day.
• 13:10
  Speaker 1: But can you tell us what it's been like to
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: work with both the NFL and the Stads to really
• 13:14
  Speaker 1: make history to have this first game on the island
• 13:17
  Speaker 1: of Ireland. Yeah.
• 13:18
  Speaker 3: The NFL have a really professional team in Henry Hodson
• 13:21
  Speaker 3: and Tom Kylie. Both men have really their attention to detail.
• 13:27
  Speaker 3: It's meticulous match deepually, I guess with with Dan Dan
• 13:32
  Speaker 3: Rooney and his team and it really strikes you and
• 13:35
  Speaker 3: everyone's very courteous and nice, but the focus on detailed,
• 13:40
  Speaker 3: detailed detail, it really is quite extraordinary. So I think
• 13:43
  Speaker 3: for my team it was a surprise that we thought
• 13:45
  Speaker 3: we were best in class. But I suppose every day
• 13:49
  Speaker 3: is a school day. We've learned a lot just in
• 13:51
  Speaker 3: the six months been working with the teams.
• 13:54
  Speaker 1: And I'm led to believe Peter to Crewe Park operations
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: have visited a number of different outlets for the NFL,
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: including but also the NFL Munich game in November. How
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: impressed have you been with football operations for an NFL game?
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: On what key aspects have you taken to it? Here
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: to in Dublin.
• 14:09
  Speaker 3: So, I think the the NFL really focuses on the
• 14:12
  Speaker 3: fan experience. So the fan comes very very early to
• 14:16
  Speaker 3: the stadium, so food, beverage, the whole entertainment, you know,
• 14:21
  Speaker 3: getting pictures, getting meet and great noise, music, pageantry, side
• 14:29
  Speaker 3: games that you know, people can try their experience, their
• 14:32
  Speaker 3: expertise and and and look foolish when they can only
• 14:34
  Speaker 3: throw a ball half half a distance and stuff. So
• 14:38
  Speaker 3: it's a it's a really really powerful day out. Again
• 14:43
  Speaker 3: in terms of I say from a stadium perspective, You're
• 14:46
  Speaker 3: you're looking at the attention to detail in terms of security,
• 14:49
  Speaker 3: be far tighter than we would normally be used to
• 14:52
  Speaker 3: in an Irish context. Magno trons and you know, searches
• 14:56
  Speaker 3: and stuff for people coming into the stadium, the focus
• 14:59
  Speaker 3: on fans safety, books on fan comfort and fan entertainment.
• 15:03
  Speaker 3: And then that the players are they really are treated
• 15:08
  Speaker 3: as top class athletes. So nothing is too too small
• 15:12
  Speaker 3: an ask or too big an ask to to to
• 15:17
  Speaker 3: be sorted. So it's it's a spectacular experience essent. You
• 15:23
  Speaker 3: understand that, Michael, It's like this great opera. And you know,
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: I think we're just so proud to have been selected.
• 15:31
  Speaker 3: You know, you think of all of the cities in
• 15:33
  Speaker 3: Europe that the NFL could have gone to, you know,
• 15:36
  Speaker 3: the big sporting history cities to be selected is I
• 15:40
  Speaker 3: mean that in itself is a huge win. Well, we've
• 15:42
  Speaker 3: got to do now is not let anybody down, not
• 15:45
  Speaker 3: least ourselves, and we won't do that.
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: Peter Cook Park is a world class venue for not
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: only sporting but other live events. It feels like this
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: is the start of a new year for the stadium.
• 15:55
  Speaker 1: How excited do you and the team to finally get
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: this over the line and begin a journey with NFL.
• 16:01
  Speaker 3: Well, I think it gives us a sense of like
• 16:03
  Speaker 3: we have we have arrived, you know, we've we have
• 16:06
  Speaker 3: hosted a lot of really important matches in an Irish
• 16:09
  Speaker 3: context and in the European context. It just puts us
• 16:12
  Speaker 3: on the world stage like I think only a cold
• 16:16
  Speaker 3: Player YouTube concert could do. But this is this is
• 16:19
  Speaker 3: the next level up again. So you know, I think
• 16:22
  Speaker 3: the American fan traveling and the two NFL teams, they're
• 16:26
  Speaker 3: going to get a reception that they will probably only
• 16:29
  Speaker 3: normally get in their hometown. I mean, Jonlin is is
• 16:32
  Speaker 3: sporting mad. You know, we follow every single sport with
• 16:36
  Speaker 3: a massive passion, so whether that's GA or soccer, rugby.
• 16:41
  Speaker 3: I mean every venue is filled out for the big game.
• 16:44
  Speaker 3: So I think there'll be a massive clamor for tickets.
• 16:48
  Speaker 3: I think this is going to be really successful and
• 16:50
  Speaker 3: I think, you know, we will be up there with
• 16:54
  Speaker 3: the other great cities in Europe to say yeah we
• 16:57
  Speaker 3: can host this and not really is it Dublin event
• 17:01
  Speaker 3: is going to be the whole country I think Ireland
• 17:02
  Speaker 3: is small, so everyone's going to get in behind this.
• 17:06
  Speaker 3: That's what makes it very unusual. That's why the Rider
• 17:09
  Speaker 3: Cup is in Limerick. It's going to be very very
• 17:11
  Speaker 3: special because you know we will all be pushing and
• 17:14
  Speaker 3: rooting for the for the Irish team there and the Steelers,
• 17:19
  Speaker 3: you know with them, the Rudy families in involvement and
• 17:22
  Speaker 3: you know the the late great Ambassador to Ireland, Dan Rudey.
• 17:28
  Speaker 3: I mean they got an immediate homemade fan bise.
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: Peter. Look, the time is perfect obviously, the g SC's
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: and ends in July or August. The field will be
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: in great condition.
• 17:37
  Speaker 3: The field will be immaculate. It's we're very proud. It's
• 17:40
  Speaker 3: one of the great services. In fact, meeting with the NFL,
• 17:44
  Speaker 3: you know, advanced team. They're very impressed with the fact
• 17:46
  Speaker 3: that we have our own tar farm, so you know
• 17:49
  Speaker 3: we can take in Tariff, which is closer to what
• 17:52
  Speaker 3: the NFL want in terms of their playing surface then
• 17:55
  Speaker 3: they get anywhere else in Europe. And I was we
• 17:57
  Speaker 3: scored very high marks on that too, Peter.
• 18:00
  Speaker 1: This has been a great opportunity to speak to you
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: on a historic day. I really really appreciate the chance
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: to chat to you, and I know there's so many
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: Staters fans and NFL fans alike that will be listening
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: to this podcast. Thankful to hear what you've had to
• 18:11
  Speaker 1: say today. We'll chat to you very soon and we're
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: looking forward to getting down to the Crook Park at
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: some stage in the new season in the NFL. Foreign
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: history will be made when the Pittsburgh Staters play in
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: Crook Park. We'll chat to you soon.
• 18:22
  Speaker 3: Love to tell you that, Michael, take care.
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: It has been an absolute honor to hear from both
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: guys after the brilliant news that the Pittsburgh Staters will
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: be the first ever designated home team to play in
• 18:33
  Speaker 1: Dublin for an NFL game. We can't wait for later
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: on this year, and I can tell you we're going
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: to have some great podcasts coming up to celebrate this
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: momentous milestone, not just for Irish American football fans, but
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: for the Pittsburgh Staters. Will chat to you soon. Thanks
• 18:47
  Speaker 1: for listening.