NFL game at Croke Park

BIGGER. Brasher. American Football is returning to Croke Park. And, given that links between the GAA and the NFL were initially established when research was conducted into the redevelopment of Croke Park, the confirmation that the Chicago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers will contest the American Bowl in Dublin on July 27th was, perhaps fittingly, made yesterday in the shadow of the New Orleans Superdome.

However, the staging of the American Bowl - the first NFL game on Irish soil - will mean a slight readjustment to the GAA's championship calendar.

The All-Ireland hurling quarter-final between the Ulster champions and either the Munster or Leinster beaten finalists is scheduled for that day but the counties involved will be given the option of playing the game on the Saturday or at another venue on the Sunday.

"We are delighted to secure the Chicago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers, two clubs who have such strong Irish connections," said Liam Mulvihill, the GAA's director general.

"The NFL resisted lucrative `offers to hold the game elsewhere and both clubs waived their match fees because they were so keen to play in Ireland. It has enormous `prestige for us to host the match.

"I don't expect the match to be a major source of funds for us, but it will bring in significant revenue to the country," he said.

It is estimated that the College game between Notre Dame and Navy, also held in Croke Park, last November generated £35 million for the Irish economy. "We would hope this match will be close to that," said Mulvihill. The American Bowl series started in 1986 and has been played previously in London, Barcelona, Berlin, Montreal, Monterrey, Mexico City, Tokyo and Toronto.

The Chicago Bears are owned by the McCaskey family and the Pittsburgh Steelers by the Rooney clan. "I feel this will be a case of going home for both teams," said Dan Rooney, the Steelers president. "We are grateful to the GAA for allowing us to play on the hallowed ground and, hopefully, we can co-operate with them in promoting their games here in the United States."

Indeed, the Fox TV network - who will televise the Bears-Steelers match live in the US - have already agreed to screen this year's hurling championship. The coverage will show highlights from the previous Sunday's games.