The AIG Fenway Hurling Classic and Irish Festival will include a Super 11’s match between the two counties and is being given heavyweight support by AIG, Aer Lingus, the GAA, the Gaelic Players Association and Fenway Sports management who own the stadium, the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club.
It will also come the day after Boston College and Notre Dame meet at the same venue in one of the weekend’s marquee College Football games. That will be the first football game played at Fenway since the New England Patriots left in 1968.
The Classic the following day will be the first hurling match played there since 1954.
New Format
US media are already excited about the prospect of seeing the game in the new format devised by the GPA to make hurling easier to export and be played in more regular size venues. GAA pitches are generally 40% bigger than a standard rugby, soccer or American football pitch.
The New England Sports Network is describing hurling this morning as “a centuries-old sport in which players use wooden sticks (called “hurleys”) to smack around a hard leather ball (called a “sliotar”). Whichever team scores more points (one for hitting the ball between the uprights; three for hitting it into the goal), wins. Basically, it’s a combination of hockey, lacrosse, soccer and rugby, and yes, it can be very confusing to watch if you don’t know what’s going on.”
The game will also link up cleverly with the Aer Lingus sponsored College Football Classic being held at the Aviva Stadium next September between Boston College and Georgia Tech.
Impact
“It is encouraging to see the interest and impact our national games can have overseas and we’re delighted to be involved in this project for that reason,” said GAA Director General Paraic Duffy at the launch.
“Our overseas network is extremely important to us and bringing hurling to what is widely recognised as an Irish city outside Ireland is massively important to us.”
“We are absolutely delighted and hugely proud to be able to bring hurling to the iconic Fenway Park in Boston,” added AIG Ireland General Manager Declan O’Rourke.
“I don’t need to explain the close ties the city of Boston has to Ireland and that is why it is a fitting venue to play host to one of our national games.”
“We have enjoyed a hugely successful relationship with Dublin GAA since late 2013 and this is another sign of our support for them.”
“It also marks our first official partnership with the GAA at national level and also with the GPA and I’d like to thank them for their professionalism and co-operation in getting this event off the ground.”
Exposure
The choice of Fenway Park to host the game will guarantee massive media exposure and provide a focus for Irish sport and Irish tourism that has never been seen to quite the same degree since the All Ireland final was staged in New York in 1947. That was a different world and the interest this game will create will be massive.
“Hurling is one of the most electrifying sports in the world and we think fans are going to enjoy watching all the fast-paced action as two of the most accomplished and talented counties compete on the pitch at Fenway Park,” said Sam Kennedy, President of the Fenway Sports Group.
“We are always looking for opportunities to bring new and exciting events into Fenway and whether you’re a fan of hurling or new to the sport the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic and Irish Festival promises to be a great event.”
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