Longford business man Padraic O'Kane thrilled with record breaking Aer Lingus College Football Classic

Longford town native Padraic O’Kane, who is the driving force and co-founder of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, has said he was thrilled with the overwhelming success of this year's contest.

The recent Aer Lingus College Football Classic held at the Aviva Stadium which saw Georgia Tech defeat Florida State University set new viewership records and delivered a significant economic impact, highlighting Ireland's growing reputation as a prime destination for international sporting events.

Padraic, who has built up a significant portfolio of hospitality businesses in Dublin, including two restaurants, Fire and Sole, remarked, “The record-breaking viewership and sold-out game demonstrates the increasing interest in college football and reaffirms Dublin’s position as a top destination for international sporting events. The economic benefits to Ireland, both immediate and long-term, are substantial, and we look forward to continuing this tradition in the years to come."

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The Georgia Tech versus Florida State University match was broadcast live on ESPN in the United States and attracted a staggering five million viewers. This marks ESPN's highest Week Zero audience since 2019 and sets a new record for a College Football game held in Ireland on any network.

Additionally, ESPN's College GameDay Built by The Home Depot, which was broadcast live from Dame Street in Dublin, garnered an impressive 1.6 million viewers and 2.0 million viewers in the final hour, further underscoring the event's popularity. This is up 41% over the previous most-watched Week 0 show in 2022.

The Aviva Stadium was a sell-out with 47,988 fans in attendance, including 28,406 international visitors. Of these, 25,909 were US visitors who stayed in Ireland for an average of seven nights, significantly contributing to the local economy. An additional 2,497 visitors came from 25 other countries, highlighting the global appeal of the event.

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The festivities around the game extended far beyond the football, with 45 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.

According to a preliminary report by Grant Thornton, the direct economic benefit to Ireland from this year's event is estimated to be over €115 million.

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Padraic explained, “Academic and business figures are involved in events on the periphery of the game. There have also been meetings between Irish and US legislators. The economy of Dublin and Ireland benefits greatly from this event. It is not just a Dublin event. The visitors from the US for the game stay all over the country.”

The 2025 Aer Lingus College Football Classic between Iowa State and Kansas State, known as ‘Farmageddon’, is scheduled for August 23, 2025, and this promises to deliver another exceptional weekend of sport in Dublin.

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