DUBLIN — Outside of FitzSimmons Temple Bar in Dublin City, a huge crowd of Pittsburgh Steelers fans are waving their Terrible Towels.
It is a common sight this week in Ireland. The Black and Gold jerseys have came all too common of a sight, which is no surpriser that NFL commissioner Rodgers Goodell, who noted the Steelers’ fanbases ability to travel and take over road stadiums.
The Steelers pushed for the league to host a game in Ireland since the international marketing rights program was unveiled in 2023, hosting events that were designed to expand the fanbase. Now, this week will be the launching pad to rope more fans in the Black and Gold.
Goodell expects over 30 percent of the fans attending Sunday’s match to be American, and on top of that, the NFL projects record-breaking ticket sales and television ratings in the slot and from international games.
The strength of Steelers fans is something that team president Art Rooney II highlighted as the franchise’s greatest strength a bit less than 24 hours until kickoff at Croke Park.
While there is no certain number for now, it sure seems like Steelers fans have outnumbered Vikings fans on the road, and are taking another city over like they do throughout a season.