College football in Ireland is becoming a bit of a tradition, although the fans at this year's game were certainly given an extra treat after all food and drink at the stadium was handed out for free.
The Northwestern Wildcats were taking on division rivals Nebraska at the Aviva this evening, with a huge crowd from across the Atlantic making their way to Dublin in recent days.
With college football famed for its atmosphere, it was always likely that the fans would bring plenty of colour to the occasion. The attendance at a fan even in Merrion Square yesterday was incredible.
Trev Alberts thanking thousands of fans who traveled to Dublin @cfbireland @HuskerFBNation @Huskers @KETV pic.twitter.com/mZBHtG0pSC
— Andy Kendeigh (@AKendeighKETV) August 26, 2022
Those who made their way to the game were then given an extra treat.
Anyone who frequents the Aviva Stadium will tell you that the queues for food and drink can get rather lengthy, especially just before and at halftime in matches.
The stop start nature of American football would perhaps alleviate some of those problems, but a technical issue inside the stadium would cause result in massive crowds.
The Aviva Stadium is a cashless stadium, meaning only card payments are accepted. However, after they encountered an issue with the internet it meant that nobody could buy any concessions.
The solution? Free pints.
As you could imagine, it seemed as though half of the attending crowd soon made their way into the concourse to get their hands on a frosty one. You could imagine the resulting queues.
The queue for alcohol at Aviva Stadium right now because everything is free due to the internet being down. pic.twitter.com/JWS4IxyfxR
— Amie Just (@Amie_Just) August 27, 2022
Beer/alcohol is free right now at Aviva Stadium because the internet is down 😂😂 Irish hospitality is top notch! #Huskers
— Jake Sorensen (@937JakeSorensen) August 27, 2022
Free Beer in The Aviva…
Do I Leave Press Box to get it….😂— The Irish Bears Show (@IrishBearsShow) August 27, 2022
Free drinks at the Aviva Stadium coz the card machines are down and they don’t take cash 🤩🏈 pic.twitter.com/SSiuNcpwZV
— Ciara (@Azpiliciara) August 27, 2022
Lads, the card machine is broken at the Aviva and they’re giving out free pints.
In Ireland.
Pandemonium.— Peter Carroll (@PetesyCarroll) August 27, 2022
Here in Dublin at the Aviva there is free beer - but you have to go and que up for your own pint. No rounds.
What. A. Conundrum.
We haven't seen @Guestinio95 for a whole quarter of football.— Dan McDermott (@NFLDAN) August 27, 2022
The fact that @_willcompton did not foresee the internet going down at Aviva Stadium and them getting free alcohol and not taking us to the game is wild.
— jack’s burner (@_Jackmcpherson) August 27, 2022
Everyone in the Aviva stadium is losing their minds as all the card machines in the entire stadium have broken so everyone's getting free pints. I've never seen so many happy Irish people in all my life 😂🇮🇪🏈 #Nebraska #Northwestern #NFL
— Sam Reid (@Sam_Reid14) August 27, 2022
The internet is down and all beer and food is free at the aviva for the college football. As you can imagine the queues are insane but the beer is flying out! #Nebraska #Huskers pic.twitter.com/So1Zu9kJKP
— Cllr Joe Neville 🇮🇪 (@joeneville2010) August 27, 2022
At the Aviva watching the American football. Card machines not working at the tills. All food and drink free. Happy bloody days.👍👍👍 pic.twitter.com/jBskQbMVPr
— Lord Tweet (@Kopp1969) August 27, 2022
Nebraska and Northwestern are playing a college football game in Aviva Stadium and due to the internet going down, the beer is free.
Ireland might actually be heaven.— Rex🏴 (@ThatRexGuyy) August 27, 2022
Aviva Stadium when the internet is down and the booze is free. https://t.co/VRG5Xmhmr5
— Matt in Michigan (@Matt_inMichigan) August 27, 2022
Aviva Stadium workers after serving all the free beer: pic.twitter.com/nH39nS1Uge
— Pickswise (@Pickswise) August 27, 2022
Should the Big Ten adopt Aviva Stadium's free-beer-if-the-internet-is-down policy?
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 27, 2022
You'd be a fool not to take advantage of an opportunity like that. The atmosphere at the game will certainly be upped by a notch or two thanks to this incident.
We can already hear the prayers of Irish football and rugby fans that something similar might occur during their upcoming fixtures in the months ahead.
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