{
  "id": 4389644,
  "title": "Profitable Croke Park Taylor made for entertaining masses",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/profitable-croke-park-taylor-made-for-entertaining-masses",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-28T15:07:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "RTE News",
    "slug": "rte-news",
    "url": "https://www.rte.ie/sport/boxing/2026/0828/1589611-profitable-croke-park-taylor-made-for-entertaining-masses/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The story of Eddie Hearn, Eddie Keher, Mohammad Ali, and the Taylor-Pili fight at Croke Park is one that highlights the transformation of the once purely Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) venue into a multi-purpose, entertainment hub. Once a place where Mohammad Ali was treated like royalty and met with political figures, Croke Park now hosts global sports stars, music concerts, and even pre-season soccer matches.\n\nEddie Hearn's nine-minute monologue at the Taylor-Pili fight press conference expressed his amazement at the change. The last time the stadium hosted a major sports event was the international rules series, which he knew little about. Hearn shared that Ali, the legendary boxer, fought Al Blue Lewis in Croke Park in 1972, and he was treated like a head of state before the fight. The GAA even went as far as teaching Ali the basics of hurling, demonstrating their deep-seated respect for the sport.\n\nHowever, Taylor's recent bout at Croke Park occurred in a different context. With a crowd of only 18,000, the event resulted in a financial loss for its promoter. Critics, like Seán Ó Siocháin, the GAA director general at the time, accused the promoter of charging too much for tickets. Another factor was Ali's high visibility during the lead-up to the fight, which may have drawn away potential attendees.\n\nToday, Croke Park is a far cry from its humble beginnings as a stop-gap arrangement for Irish soccer and rugby teams. Under the leadership of President Jarlath Burns, the stadium has become a multi-purpose venue for concerts, sporting events, and even potential future events like Champions League finals. The Taylor-Pili fight, scheduled for a significant weekend in the GAA calendar, is a testament to the evolution of Croke Park, demonstrating how it continues to cater to the diverse interests of its patrons.",
  "summary": "Croke Park is much changed between the Mohammad Ali and Katie Taylor bouts - the famous venue has flowered into a multi-purpose entertainment palace in the split season era.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}