At 9am on a Friday, Melbourne’s tongues would usually be tinged with toothpaste. Beer, however, was the flavour craved by this throng of bros brought together by the visit of one of the United States’ great institutions. Dressed in San Francisco 49ers red, LA Rams blue and every other colour of the 32-team NFL rainbow, the 100,021 fans had come to the competition’s first regular season match in Australia.
They were there in droves, and 90 minutes from kick-off their thirst had already forced the closure of the pop-up pub adjacent to the MCG. The horde had paid hundreds of dollars, some even thousands, for the privilege of seeing athletes in the storied American pastime run out into Melbourne’s sporting cathedral. They had come from more than 30 countries, with almost one in 10 making the trip from the US.
They had waited patiently in snaking lines that peaked around 7.30am, but even then it took only 20 minutes to get past security. These Americophiles had spent years following the sport through ESPN and the Madden series of video games, via US podcasters and fantasy football. Here they were now, living their American sporting dream, celebrating a passion that had survived in Australian sporting shadows.
It is a hobby that reflects a reverence for the nation across the Pacific, one that is based on defensive lines, rather than defence bases. Aukus, in this context, appeared a natural fit. One man, holding four large beers, was one of few in the crowd wearing a Jacksonville Jaguars jersey, even if he admitted he was a San Diego Chargers fan.
His spirits were high, and sentiment genuine, when saying the vibes were “incredible”. Alongside him was John Stockton, coincidentally one of the NBA’s greatest point guards. Apart from the cornucopia of licensed merchandise, the MCG turnout was clearly different to those that attend AFL and cricket games, the traditional sporting attractions in this corner of the country.
There were very few children – it was a school day after all – and if there were roughly 10,000 Americans in the crowd, there appeared to be fewer women. Alexandra Augustinus, who was there with her husband and brother and curious to see the spectacle first hand, was the only woman in her row. She said it felt “so different” to the AFL, but was impressed by an experience heavy on entertainment and a stadium full of enthusiasm.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
