NFL coming to Australia? ( It’s official a NFL game will be play in Melbourne, Australia in 2026) (13 Viewers)

[TribuneUK]

Let the other countries start their own leagues. All other major sports do it.

Trust me, we have. Some are viable commercial concerns, but many are just well meaning amateurs. In all cases, the NFL product is far, far more desirable to the viewing public, as well as highly polished in its marketing.

The NFL is dominant in the US. From a business perspective, of course they continue to explore growing their business in other territories.

As fans, of course we don't want that. But fans are effectively powerless stakeholders in all of this.

 

[solarbear88]

The last time they came here the players hated it. The plane ride is excruciating and half the team will be jet-lagged for a few weeks after.

 

[Poison]

As part of its international expansion, Australia has been allocated the LA Rams as “our” team. If this is to go ahead, in all likelihood, it will be the Rams and another west coast team. It won’t be the Saints.

For the record, it’s about a 15-hour flight from LA to Melbourne. It’s approximately 11 hours from LA to Frankfurt (11.5 hours from Kansas City, noting the Chiefs made that trip last year). I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. Plus, there are quite a lot of Australians playing in the NFL now (including, arguably, a top-3 LT in Jordan Mailata). I am sure the marketing executives at head office would use the term “synergies” to describe that.

Frankly, I reckon players on the west coast would much rather come to Melbourne in November/December when it’s warm, enjoy the opportunity to play in a historic stadium like the MCG with 100,000+ fans, and in a city that is famous for international sporting events (the Australian Open and the F1 Grand Prix to name a couple), as compared to travelling to places like Lambeau Field, Foxborough, Soldier Field or whatever multitude of freezing and/or unsafe destinations there are in the US.

 

[RaginCajun83]

My 11 year old won’t watch a full Saints game. He takes breaks here or there and sometimes finds something else to do. We won’t allow him to play so maybe that has something to do it but I didn’t play ( I’m beyond uncoordinated) and I was glued to the tv at his age

His 3 top hobbies are baseball, legos and gaming

And this Australia idea is just a money grab so Roger and the owners can buy their 4th mansion and 2nd yacht all under the guise of “global expansion”

 

[Poison]

NFL set to host international matches in Australia

One city will reportedly win out after months of secret negotiations by the state government.

7news.com.au

*itshappening.gif*

One regular season game in 2026.

Three regular season games in 2027.

 

[Thunderchild]

Make it stop!!!

Geez. That is a monster travel schedule, there and back. Better give the teams some time off to go with the game. Wow.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

NFL set to host international matches in Australia

One city will reportedly win out after months of secret negotiations by the state government.

7news.com.au

*itshappening.gif*

One regular season game in 2026.

Three regular season games in 2027.

 

[zeetes]

As part of its international expansion, Australia has been allocated the LA Rams as “our” team. If this is to go ahead, in all likelihood, it will be the Rams and another west coast team. It won’t be the Saints.

For the record, it’s about a 15-hour flight from LA to Melbourne. It’s approximately 11 hours from LA to Frankfurt (11.5 hours from Kansas City, noting the Chiefs made that trip last year). I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. Plus, there are quite a lot of Australians playing in the NFL now (including, arguably, a top-3 LT in Jordan Mailata). I am sure the marketing executives at head office would use the term “synergies” to describe that.

Frankly, I reckon players on the west coast would much rather come to Melbourne in November/December when it’s warm, enjoy the opportunity to play in a historic stadium like the MCG with 100,000+ fans, and in a city that is famous for international sporting events (the Australian Open and the F1 Grand Prix to name a couple), as compared to travelling to places like Lambeau Field, Foxborough, Soldier Field or whatever multitude of freezing and/or unsafe destinations there are in the US.

valid points, but i have to disagree. it is a brutal trip, at least on the the return flight(s).

using new orleans as an example (as i've done this trip from nola about a dozen times), 4 hours to la, almost undoubtedly will have a layover until 8pm (if you are lucky, more like 10/11pm), and 16 hours to melbourne. australian customs takes for what feels like years to get through. 20 hours invested in flying alone. good thing is, from la to australia is mostly nighttime. on the way back though, the opposite as most flights leave in the am; jetlag like a maternal fornicator.

west coast to london can be done in roughly 10 hours. much more feasible.

as for fans, yep. i bet a lot of people would love to visit australia and use it as an reason to do so. wait till they apply for those visas and people quickly find out it is a pain in the arse process. reminds me, my australian passport expires this month.

 

[OzzieSaint]

They will sell out the stadiums there.
Growing up in Australia we have always been huge sports fans and the NFL has taken off there.

 

[St.Dan]

It's going to be the biggest logistical challenge on any team's season schedule. Further evidence it's all about selling merch to the current batch of owners and commish more so than individual fan bases in the states.

 

[Winter]

If we're going that far might as well go to Japan. They love football over there.

I think a World Baseball Classic type tournament would be cool. The biggest obstacle with growing the NFL brand internationally is the players themselves. If its not an official NFL game that counts toward the season, then you wont have top talent participating. Its just not worth the risk. A global tournament every 3-4 years under the NFL mark or a sub brand, the IFL if you will, could be a cool way to grow the brand and be a spotlight for international players that would otherwise go unknown. That way you aren't stretching the main product too thin while still allowing international talent to prepare for years to put on the best football games possible. Do it in the Spring so it doesn't take away from the NFL season.

 

[StudioSaint]

valid points, but i have to disagree. it is a brutal trip, at least on the the return flight(s).

using new orleans as an example (as i've done this trip from nola about a dozen times), 4 hours to la, almost undoubtedly will have a layover until 8pm (if you are lucky, more like 10/11pm), and 16 hours to melbourne. australian customs takes for what feels like years to get through. 20 hours invested in flying alone. good thing is, from la to australia is mostly nighttime. on the way back though, the opposite as most flights leave in the am; jetlag like a maternal fornicator.

west coast to london can be done in roughly 10 hours. much more feasible.

as for fans, yep. i bet a lot of people would love to visit australia and use it as an reason to do so. wait till they apply for those visas and people quickly find out it is a pain in the arse process. reminds me, my australian passport expires this month.

Don't the NFL teams fly on chartered flights instead of standard commercial flights? Other than any necessary refueling stops, I'm pretty sure every NFL team would take a chartered flight directly to their destination without any connecting flights are layovers. Because of the flight time, I think they'd also charter a plane with enough sleeping accommodations for everyone.

I don't think NFL teams fly like the rest of us.

 

[Louisiana Joseph]

Don't the NFL teams fly on chartered flights instead of standard commercial flights? Other than any necessary refueling stops, I'm pretty sure every NFL team would take a chartered flight directly to their destination without any connecting flights are layovers. Because of the flight time, I think they'd also charter a plane with enough sleeping accommodations for everyone.

I don't think NFL teams fly like the rest of us.

I don't think teams are chartering multiple jumbo jets on one of the longest routes so players and staff can sleep. Sounds like that would cost multiple millions.

 

[SystemShock]

The NFL wants to sell more merch and more gamblers to bet on games.

 

[solarbear88]

Wow. This will hugely disadvantage the teams playing. It is a full day in the air there and a full day back. Then getting out of your timezone. Going to be a huge pain.