The Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, Ireland, during the 2025 NFL season. The game is scheduled for Week 4 and marks a significant event for both teams and American football fans abroad.
Enthusiasm and Concerns
Steelers president Art Rooney II expressed enthusiasm about playing in Ireland, stating, "We’re excited about this opportunity." However, he also had concerns regarding a subsequent game on the West Coast against the Los Angeles Chargers. He emphasized the importance of ensuring the team can return to Pittsburgh after that game, noting that flying from London to Los Angeles would be challenging due to time zones and travel fatigue. Rooney highlighted the need to prioritize the health and safety of the players and staff.
NFL’s International Expansion
The NFL has been working towards expanding its international presence for several years, with games played in London since 2007. The league has also considered other locations such as Mexico City and Germany.
Grassroots Initiatives
In recent years, there have been efforts to increase interest in American football among young people across Europe through grassroots programs like NFL Flag Football Europe (NFLF). These initiatives aim to promote the sport beyond traditional fan bases while fostering global connections between players from different countries.
Challenges and Opportunities
Despite the challenges related to travel fatigue following their trip across the Atlantic Ocean before facing Minnesota at Aviva Stadium on October 6, Rooney remains optimistic about playing an international regular-season game next year.
Steve Kelly, executive director of sports marketing & communications at University College Cork, noted the popularity of American sports leagues like the NBA, MLB, and NHL globally, but pointed out that the NFL still lags behind despite growing interest, especially among younger generations.
Key Points from Steve Kelly
- The NCAA men’s basketball tournament, known as March Madness, is hugely popular in Ireland.
- Thousands of kids play basketball daily, but American sports like rugby or Gaelic football are not as exposed.
- The biggest challenge is getting kids exposed to American football early enough to develop a love for the sport.
In summary, while the Steelers are excited about their upcoming game in Dublin, they are also mindful of the logistical challenges and the need to cultivate a younger fan base for American football in Europe.
I’m Mark W. Lamplugh Jr., a visionary Chief Executive Officer, Board Member, and best-selling Author with over 25 years of experience driving significant revenue growth and optimizing ROI across the healthcare, wellness, and media industries. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently transformed underperforming operations into thriving ventures by building top-tier marketing organizations, implementing data-driven strategies, and leading transformational change. My empathetic, collaborative, and adaptable leadership style has allowed me to cultivate inclusive cultures of innovation, develop and retain top talent, and forge strong partnerships that fuel organizational success.
Adept in executive leadership, strategic business planning, and brand and marketing strategy, I have a proven track record of boosting annual revenues—achieving up to $1.3B in oncology over three years and generating $360M in mental health initiatives. My approach combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, as evidenced by my success in launching innovative facilities, expanding services for addiction and mental health care, and enhancing organizational brand visibility. As author of “The AI Marketing Playbook,” I contribute thought leadership on the integration of artificial intelligence in marketing, a role that showcases my commitment to staying at the forefront of industry innovation.
I also bring my insights and expertise to a broad audience as the host of cable tv & global streaming of “Street Level Marketing Show,” while my writing has been featured in major publications such as Entrepreneur, Business.com, The Startup, and Kivo Daily. Whether I’m implementing targeted digital marketing campaigns that engage over a million individuals monthly or overseeing multi-million dollar budgets to maximize return on investment, I approach every challenge with a combination of strategic planning, creative problem-solving, and unwavering dedication. Above all, I am passionate about expanding access to high-quality addiction and mental health care through innovative solutions that drive both patient outcomes and organizational growth.
Mark serves on the board of One World for Life, National Fire Heritage Center, and the Institute for Responder Wellness.
Mark (https://marklamplugh.com) is one of the top marketing executives in the United States and has revolutionized how companies reach potential clients thru influence, SEO, social, PR, and traditional marketing. His expertise in Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing, and Public Relations has generated millions of dollars in revenue for several national companies. Mark documents many of his techniques in his book “Beginners Guide to Social & Digital Media.” and “Marketing Playbook for Social Media,” which was named the top 100 social media marketing books of all time by Book Authority. He’s also a professional advocate for the behavioral and mental health of firefighters and other first responders. Marks articles have been published in Better Marketing, Startup Magazine, Social Media Today, Kivo Daily, Biz Catalyst 360, Fire Engineering, Firehouse Magazine, and several others.
One of his companies, niches, are marketing products and services to the public safety industry and their employees, specifically mental & behavioral health services. He can be reached for comment at ceo@influencemediasolutions.com
23,000 #1 Connections, 40,000,000 US B2B Contacts and 300,000,000 B2b/B2C email contacts as well as 1,000,000+ monthly social media reach. https://marklamplugh.com
