The news broke this week that Australia could be hosting an actual NFL game as early as the 2025/26 season.
It’s clear to everyone involved that the NFL is once again taking inspiration from PVL and the NRL after the season launch in Vegas was massive success.
The initial whispers going around every news outlet in the country is that the MCG would be the ground to host an NFL game.
It probably has a lot to do with the MCG being the largest stadium in the southern hemisphere but would it actually be the best stadium in Australia to watch an NFL game?
I put this hypothesis to the test and rated a handful of Aussie stadiums based on how I believe the viewing experience of an NFL game would be.
What are my credentials I hear you ask?
Well I play far too much Madden than I’m willing to admit and may or may not be a two time fantasy football champion.
Kneel before me.
1. MCG
Rating: 4/10
Seeing reports that the #NFL could be looking to play a regular season game in Australia at the @MCG as soon as 2025/26. It would likely be the #Rams as Australia is their media market pic.twitter.com/sLDkDT5biy
— Football Talk (@Football_Talk2) May 21, 2024
Not only do I think that watching a rectangular game in a round stadium is a bit shit, I also don’t think the self obsessed Victorians don’t deserve a spectacle as big as the NFL.
I can already see the mainly AFL crowd trying to get blokes like Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts to hold a sherrin and Melbourne Demons jerseys.
Leave me out of it.
AFL fans are so desperate to look relevant in world sport that it’s actually sad and I think we could save a lot of second hand embarrassment as a nation by keeping these multi million dollar athletes away from these grubby self obsessed Victorians.
They’d also only be going to the game to watch the punters because half of them have an Aussie Rules background.
What does the G have going for it from an NFL point of view?
A lot of seats and… that’s it.
4/10, let those goblins down south stick to Aussie Rules.
2. Accor Stadium
Rating: 6/10
Conditions update 7pm: Grounds team reporting 68mm since 8am at #AccorStadium. Heavy showers forecast tonight. Some minor flooding on local roads. Take care all. 🐰🌧 pic.twitter.com/adNAieLkds
— Accor Stadium (@AccorStadium) July 2, 2022
Probably should be the actual stadium that they play in but Sydney only sell this place out a handful of times a year.
A sold out Accor Stadium would be an incredibly atmosphere to watch American football in but are we convinced that there’s 80,000 football fans in Sydney that would be willing to actually travel to a game?
There could be a nice coming together here with South Sydney and Jordan Mailata but how embarrasing would it look on the world stage if Sydney once again didn’t fill up this stadium and two NFL teams were playing to a crowd similar to what the Bunnies or Bulldogs get on a Friday night?
Be better Sydney and you might get nicer things.
6/10
3. Suncorp Stadium
Rating: 10/10
This isn’t the Grand Final, it isn’t State of Origin. For some reason this is taking place during halftime at Magic Round.
It really is the most wonderful time of the year. #NRLMagicRound pic.twitter.com/uB0JagmZBI
— The Cumberland Throw (@EelsTCT) May 5, 2023
Hands down the best Stadium in Australia, especially for sports with a rectangular field.
All you have to do is have a look at the success of Magic Round year in and year out.
The atmosphere is always electric, Queenslanders love violence and cold beer so you can guarantee a sold out crowd.
Not to mention that Caxton Street is right there and a beer in the Caxton Carpark is our version of tailgating.
NFL at Suncorp just makes sense and even though it may not even get a look in consideration wise, I think we all know it would be an incredible day out.
Imagine if they sent the players bus down Caxton St!
10/10 (No QLD bias here whatsoever)
4. Adelaide Oval
Rating: 6/10
About last night… 🌈 pic.twitter.com/o4Looj6qKV
— Adelaide Oval (@TheAdelaideOval) May 20, 2024
Sir Don Bradman, Travis Head… Puka Nacua?
One of the prettiest stadiums in Australia, Adelaide Oval has a lot going for it a decent amount of seating + the old school hill.
It would score itself higher than a 6 if it wasn’t a circular stadium however.
There would be something really cool about sitting underneath that iconic Adelaide Oval scoreboard and watching a team like the Rams (who is most likely who we’d get) running a two minute drill.
6/10
5. Queensland Country Bank Stadium
Rating: 8/10
.
• N Q . C O W B O Y S •22,459 at our first NQ Cowboys home game! 💙#queenslandcountrybankstadium #ridemcowboys https://t.co/Z2swVlbebb pic.twitter.com/9587pd3QPC
— Queensland Country Bank Stadium (@QCBstadium) March 13, 2020
You’d have to bring the Dallas Cowboys out to Townsville wouldn’t you?
There is a massive NFL following up in NQ, with their local league constantly being featured on the news, it could be pretty bloody cool for the region to get something as massive as an NFL game.
There is a bit of an NFL connection with North Queensland. Valentine Holmes of Queensland and Cowboys fame did play a handful of preseason snaps for the New York Jets.
That’s more than most can say.
Not mention… the Mad Cow, could you imagine the party that would be thrown there if these millionaire athletes came to town?
Townsville might not survive…
8/10
6. Optus Stadium
Rating: 2/10
FULLTIME: Dockers 95 Bulldogs 71
45,931 in attendance for tonight's Len Hall Tribute Game.#optusstadium #afl pic.twitter.com/r6QNqfNhTQ
— OptusStadium (@OptusStadium) April 27, 2024
Nah
Bunch of bloody sooks out west that chucked such a massive tanty, CA took the first test off the Gabba.
Be happy with what you’ve got.
2/10