MELBOURNE, Australia – As the Los Angeles Rams prepare for Friday’s NFL season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, a disconnect has emerged in the Australian market, where the Rams hold marketing rights. While the Rams arrived in Melbourne the day before the game, the 49ers have actively engaged with the local community, holding practices, news conferences, and creating content for Australian fans.
The Rams were awarded NFL marketing rights to Australia in 2022, sharing the market with the Raiders, Seahawks, and Eagles, and have been attempting to cultivate a fanbase for years. However, their limited presence has been perceived as a lack of commitment. Critics suggest the team’s approach is counterproductive to the NFL’s goal of growing the game internationally.
In contrast, the 49ers appear to be embracing their role as ambassadors for the NFL in Australia. Fred Warner greeted the media with “G’day” and offered a pronunciation guide for Melbourne (“Melbin”). Christian McCaffrey praised Melbourne’s coffee, and Mike Evans used the term “mate” during an interview. Warner stated, “We want to make sure we put our best foot forward, that we’re walking around and we’re part of the community and that people are seeing us…They’re excited about what we have going on.” He added, “I know there’s a ton of stuff that our team has done in the community to try to reach out and be involved. And it's our job to put on the best product on Friday and give the fans of Australia something to get excited about and see our sport in person for the first time.”
Head coach Kyle Shanahan injected levity into his first local news conference, joking about being “technically in the future” and expressing disappointment at not seeing kangaroos and crocodiles. Shanahan initially opposed the trip, feeling frustrated that the NFL accommodated Sean McVay’s request to host the NFC West rivalry game in Australia, avoiding a SoFi Stadium takeover by 49ers fans. He explained, “When I said that, i
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