This year’s Notre Dame-Navy football game in Dublin on pace to shatter previous overseas records

The approximately 40,000 U.S. fans who are planning to go to Dublin for the Navy-Notre Dame football game will stay in Ireland for a week, on average. They might run across Dan Patrick hosting his radio show with Will Ferrell in City Centre. Some will play golf, watch a Riverdance performance and see a Martin Short show.

The showdown between the Fighting Irish and the Midshipmen will be the centerpiece of college football’s opening weekend, but it certainly won’t be the only event that captures the attention of its fans as Navy and Notre Dame raise the curtain on the 2023 season.

Travel packages for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Aug. 26 will include a culinary theme, a Game of Thrones theme, golf and extended stays that range from two to eight days.

The game’s promoter, On Location Experiences, a division of Endeavor, has crafted travel deals that bundle high-end experiences with traditional sightseeing and, of course, college football. Fans from 20 different countries have purchased tickets and travel packages.

“The momentum has just grown and grown,” said John Anthony, executive vice president, collegiate, at On Location and co-founder of the Aer Lingus game. He joined On Location when his company, Anthony Travel, was acquired. “There’s just been an energy and excitement that has fed off of each other.”

Notre Dame and Navy have taken their game on the road to Ireland occasionally. The 2020 matchup was canceled because of the pandemic. When they competed in 2012, they played in front of 35,000 U.S. fans, and in 1996, there were 16,000 fans who made the trip.

But this version of the game packs a little more pizzazz, Anthony said.

“I think what you’re seeing is that people don’t want to miss out on this one,” said Eric Ruden, Navy’s deputy athletic director.

In addition to Patrick’s radio show, Fox Sports’ “Two Pros and a Cup of Joe,” featuring former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, also plans to broadcast from Dublin.

Anthony also has been told that 20 U.S. congressmen and senators, as well as the secretary of the Navy, will make the trip.

Since the Fighting Irish are the home team, they’re injecting elements of their own home game weekend into the Dublin game, like Friday night entertainment. Emcee Mike Golic, comedian Short, Riverdance performers and musical act The High Kings will be part of the show.

Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick has made these types of games fundamental to the Irish’s football scheduling.

“It’s back to the barnstorming days, a hundred years ago taking Notre Dame across the country,” said Aaron Horvath, Notre Dame’s senior associate AD for media, brand and communications. “Jack has always said that he’ll go to new places to help grow the game and grow the university.”

For the third time, Notre Dame and Navy will participate in the Ireland-U.S. CEO Club on Aug. 25, the Friday before the game. Jack Brennan, chairman of Notre Dame’s board of trustees, will moderate a discussion with Wellington Management CEO Jean Hynes, Visa CEO Ryan McInerney and Kerry Group CEO Edmond Scanlon.