The Steelers
21 Nov 2023, 05:30 GMT+10
On Sunday, the Steelers hosted a fan Watch Party in Dublin's iconic Croke Park, the first-ever event of its kind organized by an NFL franchise on the island of Ireland, wrapping up a week of activities for the team there.
Former Steelers Alan Faneca and Santonio Holmes, as well as the team's Director of Business Development and Strategy Dan Rooney, joined approximately 500 fans in attendance to watch the Steelers-Browns game.
The event was sold out with all available tickets being purchased in less than 24 hours leading up to the event.
Steelers fans had the chance to watch the game on several large screens, get autographs from Faneca and Holmes, buy official Steelers gear and get a taste of some of the food, music and video content which fans at Acrisure Stadium experience on game days in Pittsburgh.
"The turnout by Steelers fans at our Watch Party was amazing," said Rooney. "Seeing so much black and gold show up to cheer on the team at Croke Park made for a really special night."
"This atmosphere was amazing," said Holmes. "The Watch Party was off the chain. The reception that these fans in Ireland have given to me and Alan has been tremendous."
The images of Croke Park's Hogan Suite packed with Steelers fans were shared on both the U.S. game broadcast on CBS, as well as on Sky Sports across the U.K. and Ireland. Sky Sports broadcast live from the party and the Steelers official Irish social channels - @steelersireland - provided live coverage of the event throughout the evening.
The Watch Party was the culmination of a busy week for the Steelers in Ireland, which included a tour of Dublin, with visits to the GAA Museum at Croke Park, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum and the Guinness Storehouse.
Faneca, Holmes and Rooney, son of team President Art Rooney II and grandson of the late Steelers chairman Dan Rooney, who served as United States Ambassador to Ireland between 2009-2012, also visited the Rooney's ancestral home of Co Down and enjoyed a round of golf at Royal County Down.
The team also hosted an American football youth clinic at the Sport Ireland Campus, where over 50 young players in attendance participated in skill sessions hosted by Holmes, Faneca, Tadhg Leader of Leader Kicking and American Football Ireland.
"We've had a fantastic week on the island of Ireland," said Rooney. "The events we held allowed us to spend time with Steelers Nation and NFL fans alike, as well as teach the game of American football to young Irish athletes. We look forward to future trips where we can engage with fans and further educate people of all ages about the game we love."
"This trip was just an incredible experience, from start to finish," said Faneca. "It was a real honor to represent the Steelers and help share our knowledge of the game of American football with fans of all ages. I was also just blown away by the reception we got everywhere we went. Steelers Nation is well represented here on the island of Ireland."
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