In this episode of The Next Innovation, host Jennifer Strong previews the Aer Lingus Football Classic, an annual NCAA “Week Zero” American college football game hosted in Dublin, Ireland. This year, the game will take place in late August and the participating teams will be the Texas Christian University’s TCU Horned Frogs and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill’s Tar Heels. As a preview to the festivities, Jennifer speaks with various leaders to better understand how this game is a cultural and economic symbol of the Ireland-U.S. partnership, revealing how the game is more than just an international sporting event.

Padraic O’Kane, co-founder of Ireland College Football Classic, plays a pivotal role in the annual event. He breaks down the process in the lead-up to the game and the significance of Martin Naughton, esteemed Irish businessman, in shaping the event’s legacy. Christopher Chung, CEO of North Carolina’s Economic Development Partnership, and Adriana Cruz, Executive Director of the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office, share how the game is representative of the growing business relationship between Ireland and the U.S., offering insight into how Irish companies are growing on U.S. soil. Tommy Sowers, Vice Chancellor for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development at the University of North Carolina, shares how technological innovation is such a fundamental element of the university’s success, and Mark Boeck, Senior Executive Director of Corporate Engagement at Iowa State University – a participating school at last year’s event – shares what the energy and spirit was like during the game in Dublin.

Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Executive producer, Christine Baratta. Senior producer, Sharon Beriro.