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WAYNE PARTELLO

Observation

The National Football League (NFL) isn't just taking a game to Australia.

The National Football League (NFL) isn't just taking a game to Australia.

It's taking the experience of being an NFL fan to Australia.

That distinction matters.

We've watched destination entertainment become increasingly powerful. Taylor Swift's Eras Tour demonstrated the model at an incredible scale: set up in a market, make it an EVENT and give people a reason to travel to you.

Now look at what the NFL is doing in Melbourne.

The 49ers and Rams game is the centerpiece, but they're building three days of experiences around it. Live music, NFL legends, flag football, interactive experiences, watch parties, food and merchandise.

Because if you're trying to grow the NFL globally, introducing people to football is only part of the job.

You need to introduce them to what it feels like to be an NFL fan.

The traditions, community, entertainment and energy surrounding the game.

The game gets them there.

The experience can turn them into fans.

Sports aren't just exporting games anymore.

They're exporting fandom.

And I think we're going to see a lot more destination experiences built this way.

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