MELBOURNE, Australia — The Los Angeles Rams will play the first regular season game in NFL history Down Under this week, a team that has quietly been rising to prominence nationally over the past five years.
“We basically have full activation rights here in many ways, just like in Los Angeles,” Rams president Kevin Demoff told CNBC. “We see this as an extension of our city, our market and our brand.”
In 2021, the Rams purchased the NFL’s marketing rights in the Australian market as part of the league’s Global Markets Program. This allows teams to use their logos and marks in the region and partner with local brands to build fandom overseas.
The NFL has expanded its international reach, playing a record nine games outside the United States during the 2026 season. The Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers game in Melbourne is set for Friday at 10:35 a.m. Melbourne time or Thursday at 8:35 p.m. ET at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Mr Demoff said the Rams own rights to seven international markets, primarily in the Pacific Rim, and felt Australia was a natural fit.
“Los Angeles is a global city, so it’s important to leverage its roots,” he said. “When you think about Australia, everyone here is flying over the SoFi Stadium in Hollywood Park (California), entering the United States to go to other global destinations.”
As part of the team’s presence in Melbourne, the Rams built a 22-yard floating soccer field on the Yarra River. Open to the public through the LA Tailgate experience.
But while the Rams’ players arrive in Melbourne the day before the game, their opponents chartered a plane last week and are already accustomed to the 17-hour time difference.
“For us, this is a year-round effort, and we want to win games and grow our market 51 weeks out of the year, rather than focusing on getting players here that week,” Demoff defended the team’s road strategy.
The Rams will serve as the home team for this week’s games as they are one of several NFL teams that own the league’s marketing rights in Australia. The Rams have made several trips to Australia in recent years, from Super Bowl trophy tours and flag football events to visits from mascot Rampage and Rams cheerleaders.
Beyond soccer
Kroenke Sports and Entertainment owns both the Rams and the NBA’s Denver Nuggets.
Last week, the NBA handed down the strongest penalty in league history against Steve Ballmer’s Los Angeles Clippers for “evading salary cap regulations” in connection with the contract with Kawhi Leonard.
Demoff, who was not involved in the matter but is responsible for team operations and media operations for all teams in the KSE portfolio, said the penalty, which the Clippers had strongly criticized, should cause other NBA teams to be wary.
“I think this is a great lesson for all of us to make sure we understand what the rules are,” he said. “I think this represents what the gray area is as the sport grows.”
Demoff also commented on KSE’s recent deal to acquire MLB’s Los Angeles Angels. The deal gives KSE ownership of all major professional sports in the United States.
The deal still requires final approval from MLB, but Demoff said real estate around the stadium is a big part of KSE’s plans.
KSE has created mixed-use districts near many stadiums to generate additional economic activity. Demoff said this approach could work for the Angels.
“I think you can build infrastructure from the ground up and really change your team, improve your processes, (and) use data technology to make your team better,” he added.
