With the National Football League's regular season ready to kick off this week, the Green Bay Packers are bringing the spirit of Lambeau Field and American football to Dublin, with a special "Packers Huddle" free fan gathering planned for the Irish capital later this month.
The Packers Huddle in Dublin will take place on 27 September at Sinnotts Bar (South King Street, Dublin) from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Though the Packers will not be playing games overseas this year, Packers fans in Ireland can still experience the excitement and the camaraderie of football season, with the Saturday Huddle event preceding an international NFL game in Dublin on 28 September.
The event will feature special guest and former Packers running back Ryan Grant, who will meet and take photos with Packers fans. Attendees will also have the chance to enjoy a taste of Wisconsin, with fan-favorite foods inspired by a traditional Packers tailgate available for sampling. The festivities will be emceed by Stephen O'Brien, the founder of the UK Packers fan club and a popular Packers podcaster. O'Brien will greet fans and offer interactive Packers-themed contests, prizes and giveaways. Music and entertainment will also be provided by a local DJ.
Packers legend Ryan Grant played for the Packers from 2007-12, after beginning his career as an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants in 2005. The four-year letterman out of the University of Notre Dame caught on quickly with Green Bay, posting five 100-yard games in his first season with the Packers and surpassing 3,000 yards rushing in just 41 games, the third fastest to do so in team history. He went on to become the franchise's sixth leading rusher, with 4,143 yards rushing over the course of his Packers career (2007-12).
He topped 1,200 rushing yards in both 2008 and 2009, only the third back in team history to do so in consecutive years. He also holds the franchise record for most rushing yards in a playoff game, with 201 yards when the Packers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the 2007 Divisional Round. Grant is also a Super Bowl champion, as he was with the Packers in 2010 when the team defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV (45). He wore number 25 for the Packers.
For RSVP links and further information about the Packers Huddle event, please keep an eye on the Packers' social media channels. The event is free, with food and beverage available for purchase.
The event in Dublin is one of several Packers Huddle events in Europe this fall, with later dates set for London and Berlin. The Packers Huddles are part of the team's efforts to build the brand globally in conjunction with the NFL's Global Markets Program, which is part of the NFL's long-term, strategic effort to drive fan growth beyond the U.S. The program awards clubs with marketing rights to countries around the world, allowing them to pursue programming, digital initiatives and other fan engagement opportunities that are consistent with what they can do in their home market.
About the Green Bay Packers: The Green Bay Packers, an iconic professional American football team established in 1919, are the only community-owned team in U.S. professional sports, with more than half a million fans owning shares in the club. Remarkably, though the team plays in Green Bay, Wisconsin—by far the smallest city in the National Football League with just over 100,000 residents—the Packers are the league's most successful franchise, with 13 championships, including four Super Bowls.
The club's legendary home stadium, Lambeau Field, has sold out every game since 1960 and is celebrated as one of the best gameday experiences in sports. Generations of Packers season ticket holders are known to warmly welcome all fans to their pregame tailgate parties. The entire state of Wisconsin rallies behind the Packers, with fans proudly referring to themselves as "Cheeseheads" in a nod to the state's dairy heritage, made famous by the foam cheese hat now recognized worldwide as a symbol of the team. The Packers are more than an American football club; they are a beloved tradition that unites a community, a state and fans around the world.
