Abbey has a well-established relationship with the client and has been working with On Location on the Aer Lingus American Football Classic since 2012. For the 2023 Aer Lingus Classic, the number of guests overall being handled was over 8,000 coming to see Notre Dame vs Navy.

We sourced and negotiated accommodation across Ireland and select UK cities for the client and attended site visits on their behalf and with them. We managed deposit and attrition schedules to ensure the client had the rooms they needed and minimized additional rooms.

Booked attractions visits for the groups and built meticulous itineraries which detailed every movement of every group.

We contracted over 100 guides who travelled with each group, sharing Irish craic and culture with their group and ensuring every aspect of their experience went as planned.

Built and managed bespoke VIP experiences, including a buy-out evening in the Jameson distillery & bespoke travel.

Planned & managed two buy-out evenings in the Guiness storehouse & ran transport logistics for an event in the 3 Arena.

We managed Transport logistics for our guests travelling to and from the Aviva Stadium on game day with stops at all Dublin hotels that were contracted. We ensured adequate staffing around the stadium to manage the huge volume of guests.

We budgeted and managed financial risk for the event, with clear payment schedule for the client.

This event was the largest movement of Americans to another country during peace time and we handled a significant portion of the over 40,000 guest who travelled.

Managing the logistics for the event at Aviva Stadium was a significant challenge due to the large number of guests and the complexity of the transportation arrangements. We successfully contracted and coordinated dozens of coaching & transportation providers to ensure smooth and efficient movement of guests to and from the venue. The complexity of the logistics and operations plan required close collaboration with local authorities and transportation providers.

Sourcing and negotiating accommodation options for the client was a challenge due to the high demand and limited availability of suitable hotels. We worked closely with our partners and used relationships built over many years to secure the best possible options and ensure a comfortable stay for all guests.

A Grant Thornton study estimated the total value to the Irish economy of the 2023 Aer Lingus Classic at €180 Million, demonstrating the success and scope of the event.