The Aviva Stadium in Dublin saw a bumper year last year, thanks in large part to big-name pop stars.
New accounts from New Stadium DAC – the company jointly owned by the IRFU and FAI that runs the venue – reveal that operating profits hit €3.73 million for the first half of 2025.
That comes on the back of €7 million in operating profits for the previous full year.
Fans of Dua Lipa and Lana Del Rey were key contributors.
On June 27th, 51,000 attendees packed the stadium for the “Levitating” singer’s one-night show, generating a reported €6 million at the box office.
Just three days later, Lana Del Rey followed suit with another sold-out performance.
These concerts helped offset a dip in licensing income compared to the previous year.
Licensing Fees and Other Income Streams
The accounts show that New Stadium DAC earned €4.3 million in license fees from the IRFU and FAI during the first six months of 2025, down from €9.2 million across 2024.
These fees are paid by the sporting bodies for matches staged at the Aviva.
In addition, the stadium brings in revenue through catering contracts and its highly lucrative naming rights deal with Aviva.
Aviva originally bought the stadium’s naming rights in 2010 for €40 million over ten years, extending the deal in 2018 through 2025.
Last year, the IRFU and FAI agreed another five-year extension with Aviva through 2030.
While the exact value wasn’t disclosed, reports suggest the five-year deal is worth around €26 million, making it the largest sports-related sponsorship in Ireland.
Pre-Tax Losses and Depreciation
Despite strong operating profits, the stadium company recorded a pre-tax loss of €891,000 for the first six months of 2025, an improvement from a €2.33 million loss in 2024.
The loss largely reflects €4.6 million in non-cash depreciation charges.
The company also pays €750,000 annually to the IRFU for stadium land rent, with €375,000 paid in the first half of the year.
Staff numbers and costs remained unchanged at 16 employees and €947,000, respectively.
Strong Shareholder Backing
At the end of June, New Stadium DAC had €1.1 million due from its shareholders.
Overall shareholder funds stood at €140.3 million, made up of a €58.1 million share premium and €134.37 million in capital contributions, offset by €52.14 million in accumulated losses.
The accounts were signed off on September 18th by the CEO of the IRFU, Kevin Potts, and FAI chief executive, David Courell, officially closing out another year where pop concerts played a starring role in keeping the stadium profitable.
Pop Concerts Proving Big Business
Dua Lipa and Lana Del Rey weren’t just musical highlights – they were financial ones too.
With the combination of licensing fees, catering, and naming rights, the Aviva continues to show that major concerts can be as critical to its bottom line as the sports matches that built its reputation.
Revenue streams from pop megastars and sponsorship deals now make the Aviva Stadium a standout example of how modern stadiums can diversify income beyond the pitch.
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