U.S. college football "has proven a success in Australia, but next time the American game comes to these shores it should be an NFL clash," former player Colin Scotts said, according to James Buckley of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Scotts, just the second Australian to play in the NFL, said that "the time is right for the NSW government to target a professional game," much like London has done in the past decade. Rice University and Stanford University played at Allianz Stadium on Sunday for the second Sydney Cup, which opened the American college football season as it did 12 months ago when the University of California beat the University of Hawaii. Stanford won 62-7. Largely funded by the NSW state government, the event was expected to inject A$14M ($11.1M) into the state economy and attract up to 20,000 visitors from outside Sydney. Scotts was "one of the pioneers for the American game in Australia" and said that hosting an NFL fixture was the "next logical step in growing the sport Down Under." Scotts added, "There's no reason we can't. The success in London -- they've sold it out the last eight years, they're just killing it over there. I want to play a real game. I don't want any preseason and I don't want any trial game, I want it to be for real like they do in London." Sydney hosted a game in '99 between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers, watched by 73,811 fans at the Olympic Stadium "less than six months after the venue opened." But that was a preseason fixture dubbed the "American Bowl," and no NFL franchise has returned to play in Australia since. Scotts proposed "targeting America's west coast," particularly the L.A. Rams. He said, "The Rams have to travel overseas as part of their contract for going to L.A. They have to go overseas. London does it, there's no reason Sydney can't do it." Acting NSW Premier John Barilaro said that the NSW government "would be open to hosting an NFL fixture." Barilaro: Absolutely. If there's an opportunity ever to bring something like that, the NSW government through Destination NSW would be at the table negotiating to win such rights. I actually think you'll find Victoria would be very aggressive as well" (SMH, 8/26).
NOT SO FAST: In Sydney, Nick Walshaw reported the NFL said that it is not coming to Australia. NFL VP of Football Communications Michael Signora said that his organization "wasn't optimistic" about playing a game in Australia, despite over 30,000 fans descending on Allianz Stadium for the NCAA season opener between Stanford and Rice. Signora said that "there were simply too many factors against bringing a regular season game -- or even an exhibition match -- some 12,000km south." Signora: "We certainly appreciate the NFL interest in Australia, as well as the passion of our fans. Unfortunately, the travel distance and time zone changes are major barriers for us to schedule a regular season game in Australia. Even a preseason game would be incredibly challenging to arrange. So we aren't optimistic about playing a game there. In saying that, we have no doubt we could do so successfully and that fans would respond enthusiastically" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 8/27).
