It appeared an outlier and came to prominence in a report from Darren Frehill on RTÉ Radio this morning but the news around the College Football Classic due to take place at the end of August is a little more complex than a simple red light / green light situation.
The game between Navy and Notre Dame was billed as providing a blockbuster start to a five year programme of College Football Games taking place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
It was scheduled to be the only game on ‘Week Zero’ providing a launchpad for the entire College Football Season. ESPN are down to bring the whole broadcast experience to the city but until we get a better understanding of the way in which the NCAA is planning the season, it would be rash to make any specific call on the game.
Irish American Events who are the promoers of the game and members of Sport for Business have issued a statement this afternoon which states that
“The event organisers of the 2020 College Football Classic: Navy vs. Notre Dame are working closely with their Irish and American partners, including the Irish government, the US Naval Academy, the University of Notre Dame and the governing body of collegiate sport to monitor the situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“The recent Irish government announcement on ‘licences for gatherings over 5,000’ does not apply to this fixture as the game does not require a licence.”
“However, the universities and the governing body of collegiate sport in the United States are currently working towards options and solutions on how to manage the upcoming sporting season.”
“Public health and safety advice will remain paramount, so during this crucial time event organisers of the College Football Classic Series have asked for support to allow the universities and the NCAA to finalise their recommendations with an expected announcement in mid-June.”
“At that time, the event organisers will, in turn, be in a position to update on the specifics of the Navy vs. Notre Dame game scheduled for 29 August 2020 at the Aviva Stadium.”
“The five-game series is estimated to bring an economic boost of €250 million to Ireland over the coming years and event organisers are confident they, together with their partners and stakeholders, can ensure the future of the series over the coming years.”
That’s the most important element in this that regardless of whether public health considerations in Ireland or the United States allow for this game to go ahead, that the confidence of the NCAA and the Colleges remains steadfast that Ireland is the place to go for the extended period.
The game is still a full five months away and we have seen how quickly things can change.
Now is not the right time to be forcing the hand of the US authorities and holding fire on maintaining the game in its current position is the right thing to do.
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