NFL Chief Reveals Croke Park's Advantage Over Other Overseas Venues | Balls.ie

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Sunday will be a massive day in the history of sport in Dublin, as the NFL hosts a regular-season game in Croke Park for the very first time.

The 1997 pre-season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Bears in GAA HQ remains the only game ever held on Irish soil.

The Steelers will once again be the host team on Sunday, as they take on the Minnesota Vikings in week four of the regular season, a historic first.

Dublin is one of five international cities hosting games this season, and is one of three first-time venues, along with the Olympiastadion in Berlin and the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.

Moving the league's operations overseas is a massive logistical undertaking, and this will be the first test of the NFL's capabilities to pull off a game in Dublin.

Speaking to Balls.ie on Thursday, the league's Field Director, Nicholas Pappell, explained one of the unique advantages that Croke Park has presented to organisers compared to other international venues.

READ HERE: Sports Illustrated Explain Significance Of NFL Game At Croke Park To American Audience

READ HERE: 'That Would Be My Super Bowl': Charlie Smyth On What It Would Mean To Play American Football In Croke Park

Of the six overseas stadiums on the NFL's roster of international venues this year, Croke Park is the only one not most commonly used for soccer.

The NFL are well accustomed to making adjustments to international stadiums, but the adjustments they have had to make at Croke Park are unfamiliar.

We were given behind-the-scenes access at GAA HQ on Thursday, and the NFL's Field Director, Nicholas Pappell, explained that the organisers have not worked with a pitch as big as Croke Park's before.

"Most of the places we go, it's the opposite challenge," Pappell said.

"A typical soccer pitch is shorter, although wider. We always end up needing some sort of field extension that needs to be done to make sure we have the appropriate space both for the inbound play and for run-off for our athletes from a safety perspective.

"Here, you've got a much bigger facility with a lot more grass, a lot more space. Being able to fit an NFL field was a lot easier coming here. It saves all that construction that we have to do in other parts of the world."

Pappell went on to joke that one could nearly fit 1.5 NFL pitches in the green space at Croke Park.

In reality, the traditional length of the GAA pitch at Croke Park (145m) is almost 50m longer than the average NFL pitch (100.5m). Similarly, it is nearly twice as wide (88m vs 48.8m).

The field markings are certainly some distance from the stands at Croker for Sunday's game, and the grass laid down is an entirely new pitch bespoke for this game.

Sunday's pitch is a specific type of carpet pitch made with 100% ryegrass, more akin to the fields players will be used to from playing Stateside.

It has been a challenge creating this environment in Dublin, but Pappell says that the Croke Park groundstaff have been a dream for the NFL team to work with.

From a groundskeeping perspective, coming into Croke Park, there were a lot of things that made my ears prick up.

One, they've got a fantastic grounds crew here in the building. They play a very busy season with all the GAA, and other events such as concerts. It's very well-seasoned, they know exactly how to put on a big show.

The other thing is that they have a sod farm down the road that they manage. They grow their own grass, their own hybrid turf. They harvest it, transport it here to the stadium. It's a really great operation.

It allows us the chance to work together hand-in-hand. I can come in and speak from the NFL player performance perspective and tell them what we might need to do or change. They can accept that and they can tell me a little bit more about what other challenges we need to be aware of.

No-one knows their climate like those who live here.

Their operation, how well-oiled it runs, it's exciting to come and collaborate with them.

Croke Park will be in pristine condition come Sunday's historic NFL debut.