The wait is officially over. The Los Angeles Rams have touched down in Melbourne, arriving on a Qantas A380 flight from Los Angeles. They join the San Francisco 49ers, who flew in last week, ready for Friday’s historic showdown at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. This marks the first time the NFL has ever played a regular-season game in Australia.
A Massive Journey Across the Pacific
Moving an entire NFL roster, coaching staff, and support crew across the globe is a huge operation. Each flight travelled 12,900 kilometres to bring the American football teams to Melbourne. It took a dedicated crew of four pilots, 22 cabin crew members, and a travelling charter manager to ensure a smooth ride.
But it was not just the people making the trip. Between the two teams, the flights transported over 20 tonnes of sporting equipment.
Feeding an NFL Roster in the Sky
If you get hungry on long flights, try feeding a professional football team. Qantas loaded a staggering 2,000 meals to keep both teams full. The menus were carefully organised alongside each team’s nutrition staff, resulting in flights packed with more protein than almost any other trip in the airline’s history.
Players enjoyed steak sandwiches with extra steak, double portions of cheeseburgers, and plenty of side dishes. There was so much food on board that some catering supplies even had to be safely stowed away in the overhead lockers.
With both teams now in town and well-fed, sports fans are ready for Friday’s big game.
HOW CAN WE WATCH THE NFL MELBOURNE GAME IN AUSTRALIA?
Australian fans can watch the historic Rams-49ers clash live on Kayo Sports through ESPN, with the streaming service carrying ESPN’s NFL coverage and the game will also be streamed on Netflix as the streaming platform expands its venture into sports.
The game kicks off at 10.35am AEST on Friday, September 11.
