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Rooney open to bringing Steelers to Dublin

Updated: Wednesday, 02 Feb 2011 20:39

Dan Rooney with wife Patricia at a Steelers' pep rally ahead of Superbowl XLV
Dan Rooney with wife Patricia at a Steelers' pep rally ahead of Superbowl XLV

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US Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney has said he is 'definitely interested' in bringing his Pittsburgh Steelers team to Ireland to play an NFL match.

The NFL has staged regulation matches overseas in recent years, with Wembley in London the venue for the past four seasons. But Croke Park, along with several other European venues, has emerged as a candidate for a fixture in recent months.

Ambassador Rooney, who was appointed to his role by US President Barack Obama in March 2009, is the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are due to face the Green Bay Packers in Superbowl XLV this weekend.

Speaking to Darragh Maloney on RTÉ's Sport At 7, Ambassador Rooney said: 'There is great interest and there is growing interest in NFL in Ireland.'

On the possibility of staging a match in Dublin, he added: 'We would be definitely interested in that and I do think that the people in Croke Park are going to talk to (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell to see if there is a possibility of doing that.

'It’s not a foregone conclusion but there is a possibility.'

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