\u201cThe G is going to be absolutely full on Friday. I can\u2019t wait to see hopefully what will be a really good game.\u201d <\/p>\n
While the match is the main event of the weekend, the league has ensured plenty will be going on, which means some Kiwi athletes will take part in the NFL festivities. <\/p>\n
On Friday afternoon, New Zealand will play Australia in a showcase of flag football, the non-contact version of the sport that has been added to the Olympic Games for 2028 in Los Angeles, at 4pm at Kia Arena. <\/p>\n
Part of what makes Melbourne a good sporting city is the proximity of its venues, with the MCG, Kia Arena and AAMI Park among the sites in the Melbourne Park area the NFL will be using. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s part of an array of events and activations the league is putting on in Melbourne this week, called the Kickoff Festival, which caters to local and international fans. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re a sports and entertainment property. We always have been. I think we\u2019re known around the world for bringing a big show, that also means everything around the game,\u201d Offord said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe sold out tickets for this game within a few hours and what became apparent to me when that happened was we need to really embrace this moment for the community and get other people, not necessarily coming to the game, but create fan experiences that everyone can enjoy and flag football\u2019s been a huge part of that. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe will be taking over Kia Arena at the NFL Kickoff Festival on Thursday through Saturday at Melbourne Park, and we are having an Australia versus New Zealand transtasman clash, which was very exciting to me being a native Kiwi myself and to have two national teams playing each other trying to really grow the game of flag and show people how exciting it is.\u201d <\/p>\n
While the Rams opted to spend the week training at home before making the 15-hour flight to Australia, landing the day before the game, the 49ers have been in Melbourne since Friday, arriving a week early to allow time to adjust to the time zone with the game at 10.30am local time this Friday. <\/p>\n
Though limited in what sort of marketing they can do as it is the Rams\u2019 home territory, they have made their presence felt in the city and there is plenty of support on the ground for the \u201caway\u201d team. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think this is unprecedented for both teams,\u201d 49ers offensive co-ordinator Klay Kubiak said. <\/p>\n
\u201cNobody wants to stand up here and speculate right now, \u2018oh, this is the right way to do it\u2019. I think both teams have their reasons for doing it the way they\u2019re going to do it. <\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are probably going to speculate after the game, \u2018oh, this was better than the other\u2019 but at the end of the day, we\u2019re going to go out there and play. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an unprecedented situation. We believe in the way we\u2019re doing it, they believe in the way they\u2019re doing it and we\u2019re going to play the game. At the end of the day, that\u2019s all there is to it.\u201d <\/p>\n
The writer travelled courtesy of Visit Victoria.<\/p>\n