The Pittsburgh Steelers have announced a €3,500 donation to American Football Ireland to acknowledge the support they have given the team and to help further their efforts to grow and teach the game across the island of Ireland.
The donation was presented to American Football Ireland by Steelers Director of Business Development & Strategy Dan Rooney at the team’s sold out Watch Party at Croke Park on Sunday.
Inserts from the stadium were played out live on Sky Sports’ coverage of the game and the word about Ireland’s prominence in the selection of a new overseas location for a regular season game is also gaining momentum, featuring on a number of prominent podcasts this week as being favourite to be next alongside the potential of Australia.
American Football Ireland have partnered with the NFL team on a number of occasions in 2023 & 2024, helping to share the skills of the game through football clinics for young athletes. Coaches from the organisation have co-hosted five sessions with the Steelers in Dublin, Cork, Belfast, and most recently in Newry, Co. Down.
Approximately 500 athletes between the ages of 9 to 18 to date have participated in the clinics.
“We are delighted to be working with the Steelers to help grow the sport of American Football across the island of Ireland and we look forward to continuing that relationship into 2025 and beyond,” said Alan Lomasney for American Football Ireland.
“We’re appreciative of the efforts of American Football Ireland, not only in the successful events that we’ve hosted together, but also in their overall desire to teach and grow the game of American football in Ireland,” added Rooney. “We look forward to continuing to work with American Football Ireland in the future.”
The Steelers have organised various events and activities across the island of Ireland since being granted the rights to expand their brand and activities for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland as part of the NFL’s ‘Global Markets Program’ in May 2023. The Global Markets Program’ grants clubs access to international markets to expand and grow the game through activities such as fan and youth events, along with corporate sponsorship and merchandise sales.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.
