The NFL's first ever game in Australia is a couple of months away; the San Fran 49ers take on the LA Rams at the MCG in September. Are we prepared for an American sports takeover?
With Steph Rogers from the 49ers, we learn what it takes to move an entire American football team across the Pacific ocean, why the sport is gaining momentum in Australia, and whether the players think it's really a good idea. Not many athletes have to travel 15 hours to games.
Plus, we chat ice hockey, AFL/NFL comparisons and whether it's going to be the biggest spectacle we'll see at the MCG this year.
Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Dear listener, there are two things that you would be
very well aware of on this podcast. Number One, Jelmy
and I are addicted to merch. We're obsessed with it.
We make no apologies for that. Number Two, we have
a heightened sense of our own athletic ability. So I
(00:22):
just want you to know that sitting across from me
right now, Abs jell Mey has never looked like.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
More of an athlete and I am all.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
About We've got our Sam fram forty nine ers merch
on George because we are so excited about what is
going to be one of the most anticipated sporting events
that Australia has ever seen. And I am not saying
that lightly. We already have sold out the match. I
have friends that are like, you want to first born.
I've genuinely had people message me going, you've got some
(00:53):
of your passes right yeah, because Australia's love for the
NFL and it's meteoric ride in people just being hyper
fixated on this sport. But up until later this year,
it's been out of reach for many Australians. The thought
of being able to go and see in real time
some of the most followed sporting teams in the world,
(01:16):
in the world, But how do you connect Georgie to
these teams that might be playing in the US. It's
through their social media, right, that's right, and their marketing
some of the biggest jobs in the world.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Some may say it's their lifeline, you know. For people
like us fangirls, we need this type of lifeline. We
need to know everything that is happening with the teams
that we love so much, with the players that we
love so much. We want to know every single inner
working that exists in that team.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
If only we had the chief marketing officer of the
forty nine ers, if only, and imagine if she was
a good sport and also a she that would be
that would be Stephanie Roger. Roger, welcome to the party,
Welcome to Australia. Thanks of the merge. That was one
of the most long windows. But partly we are so
excited for the game where you can be playing the
(02:04):
Rams at the MCGS. You you're someone who already knows
and loves Melbourne. I am never taking this shirt off.
How are you?
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Thank you so much. I'm so good, I'm so good.
I love this city. I love that we're back here.
The San Francisco forty nine ers are coming in September.
Our whole organization can I wait. Our team is going
to see Kowalas later. Like we we have you in the.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Forty nine ers.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
You look amazing, amazing, may never take it off, and
now we need to get you guys some helmets that
will fit.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
We honestly, we will do whatever you want us to
do in a helmet like percent. We are all for that.
The concept of an Ozsye NFL fan, like, are you
aware of just how much Australia loves your sport? And
when did you maybe become aware of it as like
how serious we are about it?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Well, I've always known that Melbourdian's are like sports Matt, right,
everybody talks about that, and you get to see it
and all the biggest events in the world come through here,
right off the Grand Prix, you have obviously, the Australian Open,
you have footy, you have everything else. It's just incredible.
So we are so excited to get to experience that
one hundred thousand at the g How are you kidding me?
It's going to be all like because yours.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Stadium's like high sixty thousands.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Yes, seventy sixties. Yeah, absolutely, So it's going to be incredible.
I knew that there was a huge fan base here,
but I didn't know necessarily quite how large it was
until we started seeing some of the excitement once the
game was announced and the right that the tickets sold
out immediately.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
It was Taylor Swift levels of aggression on people about
those tickets.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, And remember how she she she compared
that to surviving multiple bear attacks, and it's a similar
it's a similar thing. This is the level of fot
that you needed to secure out one of these Nines tickets.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah, oh gosh.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Well, what I do know about Australians is that you
guys are very comfortable around aggressive animals, right about of thanks, that's.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Shall we identify. It's so fair your team's over at
the moment. It is a huge operation to bring one
of the most well recognized boorting franchises in the world
across the world to Australia. As an organization, how much
organization needs to go into it.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Yeah, I mean we found out in February that we
were coming, and I would say every single day since then,
the team has been very hard at work, trying to
make sure that we get all of the guys over
here and they're in peak performance condition and then everybody
else that comes with it. We're going to have massive
fan events that are happening in the city during the week,
So we're going to have our mascot here, We're going
to have some of our alumni like Joe Montana is
(04:36):
going to be We're going to have our dance team here.
So we've got a lot of people, a few hundred
people that'll be making the trip over and making to
tell me that.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
People are down for a junket to Australia. Do you
need to tell me the next players are like, yeah,
I'll come, I'll come, no worries. Good eight.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
I was like, if you I know you, I know
you have a very professional mascot. But I think that
Jelly is also giving a strong audition.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Will run through wolves. Yeah, progressive, We'd love to have
you both. We would like, can you tell us a
little bit about if you were to explain again, so
many Australians are invested in the sport, but if you
were to try to explain American rules football to an
Australian that hadn't seen it, before, how would you scrib it?
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Oh gosh, well, obviously there's uh, it's it's a very
structured sort of game, right offense versus defense, and what
I've seen in rugby and and Ozzie Rules football is
just it's constant. It's almost more like Global football or
Premier League, you know, where they're just running all the time.
So we have very structured plays, right, and you know,
most plays are just a few seconds, to be honest
(05:44):
with you, but they're very intense. You've got the quarterback
that's you know, sort of dropping back behind a line
of very gigantic human beings, sort of holding off another
line of gigantic human beings that are trying to get
to the quarterback.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
And then you've got guys.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
Running all over, right, So the cour back is either
throwing it weare down the field to somebody like George
Kittle or you know some of those guys. Or we
have Christian McCaffrey who is our running back. So sometimes
you'll hand it off and then he'll run down, which
is a little bit more like rugby, right where you
hand it off and then they haven't run.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
It's so funny that you say that because you have
just unbeknownst to you, you've trod on a special niche
area of mine, which is McCaffrey. I love this now, now, now, now,
because I do think that he in another life could
be your rugby league play.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
See all like, how do we get it?
Speaker 2 (06:30):
How do I get him.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
To play for the Broncos. Let's set it up, Let's
set it up. But in all honesty, he's he's a superstar.
And I know your team is a team of superstars,
but he's kind of he's kind of next level when
you were working with players like that.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Like, is it is it different?
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Is it harder? Is it?
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Is it tricky to navigate sometimes.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Especially if you're doing marketing right on? Lot of these
guys have full teams that control their marketing.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Yes, yes, And is it just like your inboxes? People
may being like, hey, would Christian be up for this?
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I want to come on the what I want to
do this.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
A little bit?
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Yeah, But we love that, and look, we're so lucky
we have, as you mentioned, a team full of superstars.
Christian McCaffrey, future Hall of Famer, George Kittle, absolutely an
electric human being, Future Hall of Famer Rock perty Et cetera.
Fred Warner an incredible person as well. They have such
good personalities, And what I would say is, in American sports,
(07:26):
our stars are stars off the field as well. So
they're very good at content. They're very good at understanding
brand connection. They're very proud to represent the San Francisco
forty nine ers, which I'm super grateful for. So oftentimes
they're willing to do whatever. My content team literally just
sent me a video of the guys like re enacting
their Love Island pitch.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I'm like, yes, right, so, yes, So they're a lot
of fun. Yeah, a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Yes, enough about them, More about you, because we love
especially when women climb their way up in a male
dominated world, which we know that sport is all over
the globe. When did you first start loving football? Because
you know, you've worked in golf previously, so promoting and
just working around in sports.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
I've always wanted to be in sports.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Honestly, I got back to when I was a ken
and it was the only thing I ever thought I
wanted to do. I just believed that I was meant
to work in sports, and so I'm very lucky. I
have an incredibly supportive family, I've had a very blessed
career so far. As you mentioned, I got to work
in golf, I worked in ice hockey.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Okay, okay, are you well?
Speaker 2 (08:29):
No, you will not love ice hockey.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
I love ice hockey.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
For me, just become best friends' don't.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yes, we did, Steph, We actually did. Because there's layers
to this. There's layers to this. And I look over
a brick because she knows, but there's layers to this.
So I loved ice hockey before he did. Rivalry okay,
but then heated rivalry happened, and my love for ice
hockey has gone next level, like I'm that person.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Have I seen it, Steph? I haven't.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
I have not watched the entire thing, nor have I. I
have to admit.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
She's unwell about it.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
I don't worry. We're best friends. I can educate, Thank you,
thank you.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
But in terms of marketing, no, no theories has ever
done more for one sport.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Truly, Well, don't you think it's brilliant?
Speaker 3 (09:12):
All In saying that our exposure as young women growing
up in Australia the NFL was largely that the quarterback
was the guy that you wanted to date in high school.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
According to every movie that I want chaud Michael Murray,
Cinderella Storm, like, you know, there's this remember remember that,
I mean, I mean.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
God, Tear God. How long have you been with we
do Digress?
Speaker 2 (09:32):
How long have you been with?
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (09:34):
So American football obviously is gigantic for us, and so
it's just the pinnacle, right and the services called pretty
Notice will bring our eightieth anniversary this year, and it's
just a very respected, humble I keep looking at the
gold helmet, right, because we talk a lot about what
the gold and the oval represent and talk. It's just
(09:54):
it's it's meant to sort of just represent this humility
and this you know, tenacious kind of belief in themselves.
The Gold Rush obviously.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
It looks good and it's winning.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
So good, you know, five Super Bowls. So that's just
something I'm really proud of. I've been with the forty
nine ers for almost two years and it's just about,
honestly a dream come true.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
What would you say the biggest thing that you've learned
over that time that time is because because I mean,
regardless of regardless of your I'm in, you're in, You're
in the mind of Jem's broken in half a time.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
I'm sure that looks awesome.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
It does look but I am in I've got no
notes for you. You just keep it like that anyways, deathstration
at all, but from given what you have achieved professionally previously.
But this, this, this last two years, there has to
have been it has to have been a steep learning
curve in and of itself.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Right, absolutely.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
I mean, I think you know that the NFL is
huge when you're in you know, obviously in America, but
beyond that as well, when you get into it, you're like,
holy smokes, it's huge.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
It's huge.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
We've got twenty five million fans in the United States
and you know, five plus million elsewhere, and that's done.
It doesn't even account the number of millions and hundreds
of millions of fans that the NFL has. So it's
just a giant beast of a project.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Well, and I haven't been fortunate enough yet to go
to an NFL game. Hopefully that changes in September.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
It must to change.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
I have I have gone to college games. Oh yeah,
over in the.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
States, feel right, where did you go?
Speaker 1 (11:18):
It's in Texas? So I was in Dallas, and I mean,
come on now, like is there anyway, And it was
an event in and of itself, and I can I'd
mean this genuinely, and this was just a college game.
I say just with respect, but this was just a
college game. I can only liken it to Taylor Swift
and the Ears Tour, which I so happened to see
(11:38):
at the Nina Stadium if I stayed it. Yeah, I
traveled because I'm crazy traveled and I was there, so
I actually, yeah, I know she does. I know your
home stadium very very well. And it was that level
of joy and excite crime. It's the community. It's the
community around it, right, And I think that that's something
(12:00):
it's really really hard to fully capture until you experience it.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Yeah, the energy around sport is just so dynamic, right.
We've got huge video boards and loud music and people
are just cheering twenty four to seven. It's very different
in the United States how we do sport in that environment.
And you saw it at a pinnacle level in Taxis.
I mean it's religion there, right, Yeah, And so yeah,
I think that's going to be really fun for us
(12:24):
to bring to Melbourne, is all of that energy with
the video boards and the replays and the music and
so the graphics and everything else. So our team at
Levi Stadium does an amazing job. We actually just installed
these humongous video boards. They're actually if you put all
of the LEDs in the building together, it's more than
the LEDs that's on one time square in New York City.
So we have a playground of it. Just go sound
(12:47):
and lighting and video board content. So we have a
lot of fun with it. And actually the players, they
let us know every single game if we've hit the
mark with our music or not.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
And it's a massacre, like.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Just introducing that to our codes. Here the idea that
if only at some stadiums after our players kick a goal,
I don't think it'll be happening at the MCG because
you're heading there tonight. That's not to say that they can't.
But for a lot of the teams for AFL there
we have fans that.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Sometimes there's prospect, there's purists, you know, and they're like for.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Us, we're like, no, let it country Road, Yes, c comic,
let it play. Genuinely, there's a player in the AFL
that has Country Road and everyone loses their mind and
it's the full fan experience, right, It's about getting everyone
to be engaged, but truly to bring what is being
put in place so that the players can perform at
the hot at the peak of their athletic abilities while
(13:38):
flying because we have we have teams that complain about
traveling across the country in Australia not complain, but other
people do on their behalf. It's a big trip is
so it's chartered flight. I'd imagine the full team coming over.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
Yeah, and we have yeah try to flight and the
whole entire team will come and we've got obviously a
lot of incredibly smart people that are working on you know,
rist and recovery and all of those different things. So
the guys are going to be great. It's it's a
really important game as well. I think that's something that
I've been trying to share with people, like.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
They're not playing for fun.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
No, it's not an exhibition of the.
Speaker 4 (14:11):
Most important games of our entire season. It's a divisional arrival.
So when you look at the.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
How much do we hate the Rams until they come
on the p but tell them how much we hate them.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
It's a very big rivalry for us. So we're looking
forward to seeing you know, hopefully the whole city in red.
But the guys, they're going to need to perform at
the highest level because it's one of the most important
games of the season and you want to get off
to a good start. It's week one, so you don't
want to be flying back, you know, there anything that's
not a win, so it'll be good.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
And also just playing in front of one hundred thousand
as an athlete, if that's something that you haven't experienced before,
Like a lot of the time, we know that these
might be the largest and most engage crowds because only
if you're a mega fan have you been able to
get tickets?
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Yeah, yeah, which is.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Amazing, right, And there's people crossing the country. I know
people that are making the pilgrimage for pers oh yea
because they don't want to use it.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
No, And this is and this is what we mean
by it is a spectacle, but it's a spectacle that
has meaning rather than an exhibition, which makes it more
of a spectacle totally because the players will have full
buy in. Your team obviously has full buy in for
your rest of your time here. Now, what what does
that involve? So you're doing site visits. You are seeing
the koalas, like, is it is it? Is it more
(15:23):
business or pleasure?
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Oh, it's totally business.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
But my boss is the second more business business. Business.
The Koalas and I are doing very deep chats.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Thank you, very deep chat.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
Whatever happiest days of my life previously was when I
got to meet a koala and like nuzzled my face
and then in the photo you can see I like
literally I'm down serious, it was somehow Oh my gosh,
it's yes, it's it's painful to even think about it.
We've had so much fun here. We are it's all business.
We've had about fifty or twelve people that traveled over. Yeah,
(15:55):
we've been going in all different directions all over the city,
doing site visits at the g and at some of
the other locations that we're going to have fan events
and operational events.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
And also where do you put everyone out?
Speaker 4 (16:05):
Yeah, there's a lot of hotels here that are jam
packed with people traveling in. There's going to be hundreds
or sorry, tens of thousands of fans traveling in from
all over this country, but also many other countries that
we've got a big contingent coming from San Francisco.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
So we've made the most of it. It's been business,
but we've had a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
We like the mix of business and pleasure. We can
do the best.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Oh, we love it. That's the only way to do
the only way for the way to do it. Yeah,
the other way forward. It's also both of them improved
the other. It's all I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
That's what I'm say. I've always said that, what do
you think, honestly of our kind of sports? So like
our football being Aussie rules, So there's American football and
then there's Australian football, which is Ossie Rules.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
I'm so excited for you to see a game tonight
because it's the first Ozsie rules game tonight.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Right.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
I did go to one a long time ago, but
I just don't really remember. I just remember the pitch
being so huge. Yeah. So that's another thing. We were
at the g yesterday. Our football field is like the
center third of the pitch that the guys play on
for Ozzie Rules football. It was just mind blowing how
much smaller it is than what they play on the field.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
One of my favorite pastimes is watching Americans watch Ozzie
Rules Football like their reactions because a.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Friend coming from America and they're like, this is great.
Who's the third team? And I'm like, wait what and
they're like no, that like the little yellow guys run
out and I'm like, oh, that's the runner and they're
like drawing play. Random people can run on the field
to give a message and a drink. I'm like, yeah,
because the oval is that big, we're not going to
interrupt play by running. Because I just remember them going,
who's the third team, and I'm like, are you well well?
(17:43):
And also there's only two teams here.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Also even like the collisions right because there'll be so
many Americans who are so used to like the helmets
that are needed, and then they're like they're doing this
without padding.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
What's going on is he lives, he's live things that
we think are normal. Yeah, when the umpire froze their
ball over the head, anyone from any other countries like,
that's the best system you got is that they have
to turn around, And you know there is there are
nuances to our game. God blessed the bounce that's gone.
But there are things that happen that I think we
take for granted that other people go yeah, that that
(18:13):
potentially particularly normal could be.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Adapted into the Niners play.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
You also just mentioned how large our ground is. Is
there anywhere that you could envisage in the States that
could successfully have AFL because NRL's gone to Vegas Georgie's code,
not that Georgie owns the code.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
But I think you're fine. I actually do so.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Our rugby league has successfully been able to go over
to the States, and there's lots of parallels as you've
already discussed with command NFL, which really helps. I just
don't know if Ossie rules, like do we need to
find a paddock in Texas? Like what do we do
to be fair?
Speaker 1 (18:50):
I'd give it a like, honestly, your stadium it's unbelievable.
They just sing anything there. Yeah, I mean, if you
could make it like a little bit, just have I
don't know, half the team running around that, it'll be fun.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
I was gonna say half court, but yeah, yeah, yeah,
you'd have to do some sort of half court. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
I don't know if.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
There's a stadium that could hold the oval. The size
of it we saw yesterday, I mean it was just
it's it's humongous compared to what our stadiums are. But
our stadiums are obviously very big, and you know, when
you think about how tall they are and some of
the other that you saw in Texas and at Levi's
Stadium and.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
Times Square level.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Take while we have you, I think it would be
remissive us not to ask an expert. And by an expert,
I do just mean an American in terms of here
in Australia, a lot of times we have this thing
called taol poppy syndrome. Yes, have you heard of that?
So when our athletes, I'm going to use athletes, but
it could be anyone, could be celebrities, could be you know.
(19:48):
But when our athletes are doing incredibly well, when someone's
doing really really well and they own that they're doing
really really well, we like to chop them down, shop
them down. We go no, no, no, no, no, you're being
you're being too much.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
We can't handle it. If one of our athletes came
out out and said my plan is to be the
greatest of all time, we go, whoa bro, you can't like,
you can't. Whereas if American athlete came out and didn't
want to be the greatest of all time. It seems
like you'd be like, why aren't you aiming for the stars,
Like it's a very different cultural approach.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
And because you work so closely with actual superstars, Yeah,
who have the audacity to own that confidence? Can you
explain or try to like why that's a cool thing? Yeah,
Like why that's a cool thing because we've always brought
into it, But why is that a cool thing for
Ossie's to understand that? It's actually great if your athletes
are owning their ability.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Yeah, I think it's something to have. I've never heard
of that. I think that's fascinating because it's just so different, right,
I think it's something to look up to. Right, it's
that true competitive nature of like, if you're going to
do it, why not do it the best? And Like,
for me, if I think about, you know, being a fan, right,
obviously I'm a fan. I'm blessed to be the marketer
of this team, but I'm also a fan, right, I
want my guys to have that sort of energy of
(20:58):
like no, no, no, I think I can beat everybody, because
then they're gonna go out and they're gonna play with
that confidence and then they're gonna play so much better,
and I think it's fun. I don't think any of
us really look at it as arrogance, which I think
is the point you guys are making. But for me,
it's like, heck, yeah, if I hear George Kitt'll be like, no,
I'm gonna be the best player on the field, I'm
like like, yeah you are, Yeah, let's go you are.
(21:18):
Christian McCaffrey actually back to him legend. He has this
mentality he's known for. He like wakes up every single
day assuming that somebody could take his job, and so
that's his mentality of la no, no, no, I have
to be the best every single day.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Which only answer to every single day.
Speaker 4 (21:36):
So yeah, it's just a total embodiment of like, you
want to chase your dreams, you want to have, you know,
the big prize at the end of the day.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
You have to have that mentality, but you also have
to work for it.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
Yeah. I think that's the thing that we pair with it.
It's like we don't like arrogance without the work that
goes with it. Yes, or I shouldn't even say arrogance.
We don't like that unabashed confidence without the work that
goes with it. We want the unabashed confidence, but we
need the work as hard as anybody else. Yeah, and
then it's it's something that you know, I think people
appreciate and are in awe of a little bit, right,
(22:07):
just understanding how hard it is to compete at that level.
I mean it is these guys monitor every single second
of their life, what goes in their bodies, how much
they're sitting, how much they're sleeping with the rest.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
Is the amount of stuff even to supporting the training
systems rot like the amount of metrics they get from
every training session.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Yeah, I can't even fathom.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
I actually sat with our director of video on the
football side the other day and I was just like, tell.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Me more about how you're doing, like interstazing.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
I mean, he was talking about all the different data
points that they look at every single practice, every single game,
the history of the game. So it's honestly, it's fascinating.
It's very complex, very strategic, and I don't think people
necessarily totally understand that, even I don't as close as
I am to it, but they have to, right, I Mean,
they're huge human beings, as we've mentioned several times, like
(22:54):
six five sixty seven bigger, you know, seven feet tall
some of them.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
So I think that's the thing that's surprised. Like I've
been lucky enough to have like NFL stars when they've
come out on their own and they sort of walk
into the room and you're like, wow, I didn't think
it was like NBA level size people, right, Like they
just it almost takes your breath away just how large
they are.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Also because they have the physical presence, but then there's
the aura that comes with so many of them to.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
Write absolutely, Yeah, they all carry around a little bit
of swag.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Yeah, they're pretty swaggy.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
You know.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
They always want to make sure they've got the cook
clothes and they have the walk and everything else. But
they're also so funny. Yeah, a lot of the guys
that were doing content with. Mac Jones is one of
my favorite people on the planet. Is our backup quarterback.
He played quite a bit for us last year.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
Mac Jones also of Ian if you're talking about marketing, yeah, exactly,
He's made the lab for marketing.
Speaker 4 (23:45):
So anyways, Yeah, there's a lot of data, as I've
been corrected a few times, data and science that can.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
I say, can I congratulate you and your pronunciation just
of Melbourne because because it's always Melbourne, but you nailed
it in one you were like Melbourne, Like, i'ming to Melbourne.
We're coming to Melbourn.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Lean into it. Your accents and actilities, everything you say
carries more points with me. I'm well, she must know
me more exactly.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
What's happening, Stiff? What are you? What are you hoping
to get out of the rest of your time in
Australia for this trip because you're going to come back
in like team on us two days. But yeah, yeah,
it's coming.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
Definitely more coffee, Definitely more amazing food and laneways that
we've been experiencing at. It's been so fun for me
to share because I do. It's a running joke, but
it's genuine. I love this country so much. I love
the city, so to be able to share it with
all the team and just see them.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Are also changing marketing of Melbourne convenient.
Speaker 4 (24:36):
Yeah, yes, visiit call me sponsorship to see the team
really like appreciating the opportunity of being here representing the
forty nine ers talking to people like you guys. Thank
you so much for having me. By the way, please
being being able to sort of build that brand here
and get a vision for what we're going to do
(24:57):
in September. We're less less than a hundred DA, so
we're to be back in market in ninety days with
the team and we'll be needed to hit the ground running.
So a lot of logistics, a lot of final points
that we're putting on it, and then yeah, we'll get
to planning and we'll be back very soon.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
How is it ninety days? Like? How were you in June?
What is this like? We're in a time walk.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
It's not okay.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
It's not okay, especially when you've got something so big
to plan. I'm sure you're like ninety days, We've still
got so many boxes to tick and koalas to cuddle
the things that need to happen.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
How am I supposed to work when I have all
these quals to cut off?
Speaker 3 (25:31):
It's a question we ask ourselves every our hero Steff,
not exactly. Thank you again. We can't wait and we're
just again. As Australians, we are psychotic about sport and
it's been so wonderful to see so many major teams
from major sporting organizations recognizing that and making the trip
and you will again enjoy the game tonight, refamiliarize yourself.
(25:54):
But times that by I honestly think ten, and that
will be the level of psychotics that the crowd will be.
I agree, when you run out against the Rams, it's
just gonna be insite.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
And just for the record stuff, how much will the
nine has beat the Rams buy in September.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
I'm not in the in the market to make predictions,
but I will say my hope and goal. What I've
challenged our team too, is that nobody needs to be read.
So if we're looking at the capacity of the building,
I hope the majority of them are in red.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
For what you are, We'll send one.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Send here, We'll build an army, build an army, are
red army.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
We're on.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
We got it, we got it. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
Call our fan base the faithful. Oh they're very proud.
They travel all over. They love taking over stadiums. So
welcome into the faithful.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
We love to have you.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
It's really good to be here.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
I love being part of a flock.
Dear listener, there are two things that you would be
very well aware of on this podcast. Number One, Jelmy
and I are addicted to merch. We're obsessed with it.
We make no apologies for that. Number Two, we have
a heightened sense of our own athletic ability. So I
(00:22):
just want you to know that sitting across from me
right now, Abs jell Mey has never looked like.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
More of an athlete and I am all.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
About We've got our Sam fram forty nine ers merch
on George because we are so excited about what is
going to be one of the most anticipated sporting events
that Australia has ever seen. And I am not saying
that lightly. We already have sold out the match. I
have friends that are like, you want to first born.
I've genuinely had people message me going, you've got some
(00:53):
of your passes right yeah, because Australia's love for the
NFL and it's meteoric ride in people just being hyper
fixated on this sport. But up until later this year,
it's been out of reach for many Australians. The thought
of being able to go and see in real time
some of the most followed sporting teams in the world,
(01:16):
in the world, But how do you connect Georgie to
these teams that might be playing in the US. It's
through their social media, right, that's right, and their marketing
some of the biggest jobs in the world.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Some may say it's their lifeline, you know. For people
like us fangirls, we need this type of lifeline. We
need to know everything that is happening with the teams
that we love so much, with the players that we
love so much. We want to know every single inner
working that exists in that team.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
If only we had the chief marketing officer of the
forty nine ers, if only, and imagine if she was
a good sport and also a she that would be
that would be Stephanie Roger. Roger, welcome to the party,
Welcome to Australia. Thanks of the merge. That was one
of the most long windows. But partly we are so
excited for the game where you can be playing the
(02:04):
Rams at the MCGS. You you're someone who already knows
and loves Melbourne. I am never taking this shirt off.
How are you?
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Thank you so much. I'm so good, I'm so good.
I love this city. I love that we're back here.
The San Francisco forty nine ers are coming in September.
Our whole organization can I wait. Our team is going
to see Kowalas later. Like we we have you in the.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Forty nine ers.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
You look amazing, amazing, may never take it off, and
now we need to get you guys some helmets that
will fit.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
We honestly, we will do whatever you want us to
do in a helmet like percent. We are all for that.
The concept of an Ozsye NFL fan, like, are you
aware of just how much Australia loves your sport? And
when did you maybe become aware of it as like
how serious we are about it?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Well, I've always known that Melbourdian's are like sports Matt, right,
everybody talks about that, and you get to see it
and all the biggest events in the world come through here,
right off the Grand Prix, you have obviously, the Australian Open,
you have footy, you have everything else. It's just incredible.
So we are so excited to get to experience that
one hundred thousand at the g How are you kidding me?
It's going to be all like because yours.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Stadium's like high sixty thousands.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Yes, seventy sixties. Yeah, absolutely, So it's going to be incredible.
I knew that there was a huge fan base here,
but I didn't know necessarily quite how large it was
until we started seeing some of the excitement once the
game was announced and the right that the tickets sold
out immediately.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
It was Taylor Swift levels of aggression on people about
those tickets.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, And remember how she she she compared
that to surviving multiple bear attacks, and it's a similar
it's a similar thing. This is the level of fot
that you needed to secure out one of these Nines tickets.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah, oh gosh.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Well, what I do know about Australians is that you
guys are very comfortable around aggressive animals, right about of thanks, that's.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Shall we identify. It's so fair your team's over at
the moment. It is a huge operation to bring one
of the most well recognized boorting franchises in the world
across the world to Australia. As an organization, how much
organization needs to go into it.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Yeah, I mean we found out in February that we
were coming, and I would say every single day since then,
the team has been very hard at work, trying to
make sure that we get all of the guys over
here and they're in peak performance condition and then everybody
else that comes with it. We're going to have massive
fan events that are happening in the city during the week,
So we're going to have our mascot here, We're going
to have some of our alumni like Joe Montana is
(04:36):
going to be We're going to have our dance team here.
So we've got a lot of people, a few hundred
people that'll be making the trip over and making to
tell me that.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
People are down for a junket to Australia. Do you
need to tell me the next players are like, yeah,
I'll come, I'll come, no worries. Good eight.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
I was like, if you I know you, I know
you have a very professional mascot. But I think that
Jelly is also giving a strong audition.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Will run through wolves. Yeah, progressive, We'd love to have
you both. We would like, can you tell us a
little bit about if you were to explain again, so
many Australians are invested in the sport, but if you
were to try to explain American rules football to an
Australian that hadn't seen it, before, how would you scrib it?
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Oh gosh, well, obviously there's uh, it's it's a very
structured sort of game, right offense versus defense, and what
I've seen in rugby and and Ozzie Rules football is
just it's constant. It's almost more like Global football or
Premier League, you know, where they're just running all the time.
So we have very structured plays, right, and you know,
most plays are just a few seconds, to be honest
(05:44):
with you, but they're very intense. You've got the quarterback
that's you know, sort of dropping back behind a line
of very gigantic human beings, sort of holding off another
line of gigantic human beings that are trying to get
to the quarterback.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
And then you've got guys.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
Running all over, right, So the cour back is either
throwing it weare down the field to somebody like George
Kittle or you know some of those guys. Or we
have Christian McCaffrey who is our running back. So sometimes
you'll hand it off and then he'll run down, which
is a little bit more like rugby, right where you
hand it off and then they haven't run.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
It's so funny that you say that because you have
just unbeknownst to you, you've trod on a special niche
area of mine, which is McCaffrey. I love this now, now, now, now,
because I do think that he in another life could
be your rugby league play.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
See all like, how do we get it?
Speaker 2 (06:30):
How do I get him.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
To play for the Broncos. Let's set it up, Let's
set it up. But in all honesty, he's he's a superstar.
And I know your team is a team of superstars,
but he's kind of he's kind of next level when
you were working with players like that.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Like, is it is it different?
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Is it harder? Is it?
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Is it tricky to navigate sometimes.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Especially if you're doing marketing right on? Lot of these
guys have full teams that control their marketing.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Yes, yes, And is it just like your inboxes? People
may being like, hey, would Christian be up for this?
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I want to come on the what I want to
do this.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
A little bit?
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Yeah, But we love that, and look, we're so lucky
we have, as you mentioned, a team full of superstars.
Christian McCaffrey, future Hall of Famer, George Kittle, absolutely an
electric human being, Future Hall of Famer Rock perty Et cetera.
Fred Warner an incredible person as well. They have such
good personalities, And what I would say is, in American sports,
(07:26):
our stars are stars off the field as well. So
they're very good at content. They're very good at understanding
brand connection. They're very proud to represent the San Francisco
forty nine ers, which I'm super grateful for. So oftentimes
they're willing to do whatever. My content team literally just
sent me a video of the guys like re enacting
their Love Island pitch.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I'm like, yes, right, so, yes, So they're a lot
of fun. Yeah, a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Yes, enough about them, More about you, because we love
especially when women climb their way up in a male
dominated world, which we know that sport is all over
the globe. When did you first start loving football? Because
you know, you've worked in golf previously, so promoting and
just working around in sports.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
I've always wanted to be in sports.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Honestly, I got back to when I was a ken
and it was the only thing I ever thought I
wanted to do. I just believed that I was meant
to work in sports, and so I'm very lucky. I
have an incredibly supportive family, I've had a very blessed
career so far. As you mentioned, I got to work
in golf, I worked in ice hockey.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Okay, okay, are you well?
Speaker 2 (08:29):
No, you will not love ice hockey.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
I love ice hockey.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
For me, just become best friends' don't.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yes, we did, Steph, We actually did. Because there's layers
to this. There's layers to this. And I look over
a brick because she knows, but there's layers to this.
So I loved ice hockey before he did. Rivalry okay,
but then heated rivalry happened, and my love for ice
hockey has gone next level, like I'm that person.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Have I seen it, Steph? I haven't.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
I have not watched the entire thing, nor have I. I
have to admit.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
She's unwell about it.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
I don't worry. We're best friends. I can educate, Thank you,
thank you.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
But in terms of marketing, no, no theories has ever
done more for one sport.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Truly, Well, don't you think it's brilliant?
Speaker 3 (09:12):
All In saying that our exposure as young women growing
up in Australia the NFL was largely that the quarterback
was the guy that you wanted to date in high school.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
According to every movie that I want chaud Michael Murray,
Cinderella Storm, like, you know, there's this remember remember that,
I mean, I mean.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
God, Tear God. How long have you been with we
do Digress?
Speaker 2 (09:32):
How long have you been with?
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (09:34):
So American football obviously is gigantic for us, and so
it's just the pinnacle, right and the services called pretty
Notice will bring our eightieth anniversary this year, and it's
just a very respected, humble I keep looking at the
gold helmet, right, because we talk a lot about what
the gold and the oval represent and talk. It's just
(09:54):
it's it's meant to sort of just represent this humility
and this you know, tenacious kind of belief in themselves.
The Gold Rush obviously.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
It looks good and it's winning.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
So good, you know, five Super Bowls. So that's just
something I'm really proud of. I've been with the forty
nine ers for almost two years and it's just about,
honestly a dream come true.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
What would you say the biggest thing that you've learned
over that time that time is because because I mean,
regardless of regardless of your I'm in, you're in, You're
in the mind of Jem's broken in half a time.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
I'm sure that looks awesome.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
It does look but I am in I've got no
notes for you. You just keep it like that anyways, deathstration
at all, but from given what you have achieved professionally previously.
But this, this, this last two years, there has to
have been it has to have been a steep learning
curve in and of itself.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Right, absolutely.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
I mean, I think you know that the NFL is
huge when you're in you know, obviously in America, but
beyond that as well, when you get into it, you're like,
holy smokes, it's huge.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
It's huge.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
We've got twenty five million fans in the United States
and you know, five plus million elsewhere, and that's done.
It doesn't even account the number of millions and hundreds
of millions of fans that the NFL has. So it's
just a giant beast of a project.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Well, and I haven't been fortunate enough yet to go
to an NFL game. Hopefully that changes in September.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
It must to change.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
I have I have gone to college games. Oh yeah,
over in the.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
States, feel right, where did you go?
Speaker 1 (11:18):
It's in Texas? So I was in Dallas, and I mean,
come on now, like is there anyway, And it was
an event in and of itself, and I can I'd
mean this genuinely, and this was just a college game.
I say just with respect, but this was just a
college game. I can only liken it to Taylor Swift
and the Ears Tour, which I so happened to see
(11:38):
at the Nina Stadium if I stayed it. Yeah, I
traveled because I'm crazy traveled and I was there, so
I actually, yeah, I know she does. I know your
home stadium very very well. And it was that level
of joy and excite crime. It's the community. It's the
community around it, right, And I think that that's something
(12:00):
it's really really hard to fully capture until you experience it.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Yeah, the energy around sport is just so dynamic, right.
We've got huge video boards and loud music and people
are just cheering twenty four to seven. It's very different
in the United States how we do sport in that environment.
And you saw it at a pinnacle level in Taxis.
I mean it's religion there, right, Yeah, And so yeah,
I think that's going to be really fun for us
(12:24):
to bring to Melbourne, is all of that energy with
the video boards and the replays and the music and
so the graphics and everything else. So our team at
Levi Stadium does an amazing job. We actually just installed
these humongous video boards. They're actually if you put all
of the LEDs in the building together, it's more than
the LEDs that's on one time square in New York City.
So we have a playground of it. Just go sound
(12:47):
and lighting and video board content. So we have a
lot of fun with it. And actually the players, they
let us know every single game if we've hit the
mark with our music or not.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
And it's a massacre, like.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Just introducing that to our codes. Here the idea that
if only at some stadiums after our players kick a goal,
I don't think it'll be happening at the MCG because
you're heading there tonight. That's not to say that they can't.
But for a lot of the teams for AFL there
we have fans that.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Sometimes there's prospect, there's purists, you know, and they're like for.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Us, we're like, no, let it country Road, Yes, c comic,
let it play. Genuinely, there's a player in the AFL
that has Country Road and everyone loses their mind and
it's the full fan experience, right, It's about getting everyone
to be engaged, but truly to bring what is being
put in place so that the players can perform at
the hot at the peak of their athletic abilities while
(13:38):
flying because we have we have teams that complain about
traveling across the country in Australia not complain, but other
people do on their behalf. It's a big trip is
so it's chartered flight. I'd imagine the full team coming over.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
Yeah, and we have yeah try to flight and the
whole entire team will come and we've got obviously a
lot of incredibly smart people that are working on you know,
rist and recovery and all of those different things. So
the guys are going to be great. It's it's a
really important game as well. I think that's something that
I've been trying to share with people, like.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
They're not playing for fun.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
No, it's not an exhibition of the.
Speaker 4 (14:11):
Most important games of our entire season. It's a divisional arrival.
So when you look at the.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
How much do we hate the Rams until they come
on the p but tell them how much we hate them.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
It's a very big rivalry for us. So we're looking
forward to seeing you know, hopefully the whole city in red.
But the guys, they're going to need to perform at
the highest level because it's one of the most important
games of the season and you want to get off
to a good start. It's week one, so you don't
want to be flying back, you know, there anything that's
not a win, so it'll be good.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
And also just playing in front of one hundred thousand
as an athlete, if that's something that you haven't experienced before,
Like a lot of the time, we know that these
might be the largest and most engage crowds because only
if you're a mega fan have you been able to
get tickets?
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Yeah, yeah, which is.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Amazing, right, And there's people crossing the country. I know
people that are making the pilgrimage for pers oh yea
because they don't want to use it.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
No, And this is and this is what we mean
by it is a spectacle, but it's a spectacle that
has meaning rather than an exhibition, which makes it more
of a spectacle totally because the players will have full
buy in. Your team obviously has full buy in for
your rest of your time here. Now, what what does
that involve? So you're doing site visits. You are seeing
the koalas, like, is it is it? Is it more
(15:23):
business or pleasure?
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Oh, it's totally business.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
But my boss is the second more business business. Business.
The Koalas and I are doing very deep chats.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Thank you, very deep chat.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
Whatever happiest days of my life previously was when I
got to meet a koala and like nuzzled my face
and then in the photo you can see I like
literally I'm down serious, it was somehow Oh my gosh,
it's yes, it's it's painful to even think about it.
We've had so much fun here. We are it's all business.
We've had about fifty or twelve people that traveled over. Yeah,
(15:55):
we've been going in all different directions all over the city,
doing site visits at the g and at some of
the other locations that we're going to have fan events
and operational events.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
And also where do you put everyone out?
Speaker 4 (16:05):
Yeah, there's a lot of hotels here that are jam
packed with people traveling in. There's going to be hundreds
or sorry, tens of thousands of fans traveling in from
all over this country, but also many other countries that
we've got a big contingent coming from San Francisco.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
So we've made the most of it. It's been business,
but we've had a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
We like the mix of business and pleasure. We can
do the best.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Oh, we love it. That's the only way to do
the only way for the way to do it. Yeah,
the other way forward. It's also both of them improved
the other. It's all I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
That's what I'm say. I've always said that, what do
you think, honestly of our kind of sports? So like
our football being Aussie rules, So there's American football and
then there's Australian football, which is Ossie Rules.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
I'm so excited for you to see a game tonight
because it's the first Ozsie rules game tonight.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Right.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
I did go to one a long time ago, but
I just don't really remember. I just remember the pitch
being so huge. Yeah. So that's another thing. We were
at the g yesterday. Our football field is like the
center third of the pitch that the guys play on
for Ozzie Rules football. It was just mind blowing how
much smaller it is than what they play on the field.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
One of my favorite pastimes is watching Americans watch Ozzie
Rules Football like their reactions because a.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Friend coming from America and they're like, this is great.
Who's the third team? And I'm like, wait what and
they're like no, that like the little yellow guys run
out and I'm like, oh, that's the runner and they're
like drawing play. Random people can run on the field
to give a message and a drink. I'm like, yeah,
because the oval is that big, we're not going to
interrupt play by running. Because I just remember them going,
who's the third team, and I'm like, are you well well?
(17:43):
And also there's only two teams here.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Also even like the collisions right because there'll be so
many Americans who are so used to like the helmets
that are needed, and then they're like they're doing this
without padding.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
What's going on is he lives, he's live things that
we think are normal. Yeah, when the umpire froze their
ball over the head, anyone from any other countries like,
that's the best system you got is that they have
to turn around, And you know there is there are
nuances to our game. God blessed the bounce that's gone.
But there are things that happen that I think we
take for granted that other people go yeah, that that
(18:13):
potentially particularly normal could be.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Adapted into the Niners play.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
You also just mentioned how large our ground is. Is
there anywhere that you could envisage in the States that
could successfully have AFL because NRL's gone to Vegas Georgie's code,
not that Georgie owns the code.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
But I think you're fine. I actually do so.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Our rugby league has successfully been able to go over
to the States, and there's lots of parallels as you've
already discussed with command NFL, which really helps. I just
don't know if Ossie rules, like do we need to
find a paddock in Texas? Like what do we do
to be fair?
Speaker 1 (18:50):
I'd give it a like, honestly, your stadium it's unbelievable.
They just sing anything there. Yeah, I mean, if you
could make it like a little bit, just have I
don't know, half the team running around that, it'll be fun.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
I was gonna say half court, but yeah, yeah, yeah,
you'd have to do some sort of half court. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
I don't know if.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
There's a stadium that could hold the oval. The size
of it we saw yesterday, I mean it was just
it's it's humongous compared to what our stadiums are. But
our stadiums are obviously very big, and you know, when
you think about how tall they are and some of
the other that you saw in Texas and at Levi's
Stadium and.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
Times Square level.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Take while we have you, I think it would be
remissive us not to ask an expert. And by an expert,
I do just mean an American in terms of here
in Australia, a lot of times we have this thing
called taol poppy syndrome. Yes, have you heard of that?
So when our athletes, I'm going to use athletes, but
it could be anyone, could be celebrities, could be you know.
(19:48):
But when our athletes are doing incredibly well, when someone's
doing really really well and they own that they're doing
really really well, we like to chop them down, shop
them down. We go no, no, no, no, no, you're being
you're being too much.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
We can't handle it. If one of our athletes came
out out and said my plan is to be the
greatest of all time, we go, whoa bro, you can't like,
you can't. Whereas if American athlete came out and didn't
want to be the greatest of all time. It seems
like you'd be like, why aren't you aiming for the stars,
Like it's a very different cultural approach.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
And because you work so closely with actual superstars, Yeah,
who have the audacity to own that confidence? Can you
explain or try to like why that's a cool thing? Yeah,
Like why that's a cool thing because we've always brought
into it, But why is that a cool thing for
Ossie's to understand that? It's actually great if your athletes
are owning their ability.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Yeah, I think it's something to have. I've never heard
of that. I think that's fascinating because it's just so different, right,
I think it's something to look up to. Right, it's
that true competitive nature of like, if you're going to
do it, why not do it the best? And Like,
for me, if I think about, you know, being a fan, right,
obviously I'm a fan. I'm blessed to be the marketer
of this team, but I'm also a fan, right, I
want my guys to have that sort of energy of
(20:58):
like no, no, no, I think I can beat everybody, because
then they're gonna go out and they're gonna play with
that confidence and then they're gonna play so much better,
and I think it's fun. I don't think any of
us really look at it as arrogance, which I think
is the point you guys are making. But for me,
it's like, heck, yeah, if I hear George Kitt'll be like, no,
I'm gonna be the best player on the field, I'm
like like, yeah you are, Yeah, let's go you are.
(21:18):
Christian McCaffrey actually back to him legend. He has this
mentality he's known for. He like wakes up every single
day assuming that somebody could take his job, and so
that's his mentality of la no, no, no, I have
to be the best every single day.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Which only answer to every single day.
Speaker 4 (21:36):
So yeah, it's just a total embodiment of like, you
want to chase your dreams, you want to have, you know,
the big prize at the end of the day.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
You have to have that mentality, but you also have
to work for it.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
Yeah. I think that's the thing that we pair with it.
It's like we don't like arrogance without the work that
goes with it. Yes, or I shouldn't even say arrogance.
We don't like that unabashed confidence without the work that
goes with it. We want the unabashed confidence, but we
need the work as hard as anybody else. Yeah, and
then it's it's something that you know, I think people
appreciate and are in awe of a little bit, right,
(22:07):
just understanding how hard it is to compete at that level.
I mean it is these guys monitor every single second
of their life, what goes in their bodies, how much
they're sitting, how much they're sleeping with the rest.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
Is the amount of stuff even to supporting the training
systems rot like the amount of metrics they get from
every training session.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Yeah, I can't even fathom.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
I actually sat with our director of video on the
football side the other day and I was just like, tell.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Me more about how you're doing, like interstazing.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
I mean, he was talking about all the different data
points that they look at every single practice, every single game,
the history of the game. So it's honestly, it's fascinating.
It's very complex, very strategic, and I don't think people
necessarily totally understand that, even I don't as close as
I am to it, but they have to, right, I Mean,
they're huge human beings, as we've mentioned several times, like
(22:54):
six five sixty seven bigger, you know, seven feet tall
some of them.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
So I think that's the thing that's surprised. Like I've
been lucky enough to have like NFL stars when they've
come out on their own and they sort of walk
into the room and you're like, wow, I didn't think
it was like NBA level size people, right, Like they
just it almost takes your breath away just how large
they are.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Also because they have the physical presence, but then there's
the aura that comes with so many of them to.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
Write absolutely, Yeah, they all carry around a little bit
of swag.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Yeah, they're pretty swaggy.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
You know.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
They always want to make sure they've got the cook
clothes and they have the walk and everything else. But
they're also so funny. Yeah, a lot of the guys
that were doing content with. Mac Jones is one of
my favorite people on the planet. Is our backup quarterback.
He played quite a bit for us last year.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
Mac Jones also of Ian if you're talking about marketing, yeah, exactly,
He's made the lab for marketing.
Speaker 4 (23:45):
So anyways, Yeah, there's a lot of data, as I've
been corrected a few times, data and science that can.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
I say, can I congratulate you and your pronunciation just
of Melbourne because because it's always Melbourne, but you nailed
it in one you were like Melbourne, Like, i'ming to Melbourne.
We're coming to Melbourn.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Lean into it. Your accents and actilities, everything you say
carries more points with me. I'm well, she must know
me more exactly.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
What's happening, Stiff? What are you? What are you hoping
to get out of the rest of your time in
Australia for this trip because you're going to come back
in like team on us two days. But yeah, yeah,
it's coming.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
Definitely more coffee, Definitely more amazing food and laneways that
we've been experiencing at. It's been so fun for me
to share because I do. It's a running joke, but
it's genuine. I love this country so much. I love
the city, so to be able to share it with
all the team and just see them.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Are also changing marketing of Melbourne convenient.
Speaker 4 (24:36):
Yeah, yes, visiit call me sponsorship to see the team
really like appreciating the opportunity of being here representing the
forty nine ers talking to people like you guys. Thank
you so much for having me. By the way, please
being being able to sort of build that brand here
and get a vision for what we're going to do
(24:57):
in September. We're less less than a hundred DA, so
we're to be back in market in ninety days with
the team and we'll be needed to hit the ground running.
So a lot of logistics, a lot of final points
that we're putting on it, and then yeah, we'll get
to planning and we'll be back very soon.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
How is it ninety days? Like? How were you in June?
What is this like? We're in a time walk.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
It's not okay.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
It's not okay, especially when you've got something so big
to plan. I'm sure you're like ninety days, We've still
got so many boxes to tick and koalas to cuddle
the things that need to happen.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
How am I supposed to work when I have all
these quals to cut off?
Speaker 3 (25:31):
It's a question we ask ourselves every our hero Steff,
not exactly. Thank you again. We can't wait and we're
just again. As Australians, we are psychotic about sport and
it's been so wonderful to see so many major teams
from major sporting organizations recognizing that and making the trip
and you will again enjoy the game tonight, refamiliarize yourself.
(25:54):
But times that by I honestly think ten, and that
will be the level of psychotics that the crowd will be.
I agree, when you run out against the Rams, it's
just gonna be insite.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
And just for the record stuff, how much will the
nine has beat the Rams buy in September.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
I'm not in the in the market to make predictions,
but I will say my hope and goal. What I've
challenged our team too, is that nobody needs to be read.
So if we're looking at the capacity of the building,
I hope the majority of them are in red.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
For what you are, We'll send one.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Send here, We'll build an army, build an army, are
red army.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
We're on.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
We got it, we got it. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
Call our fan base the faithful. Oh they're very proud.
They travel all over. They love taking over stadiums. So
welcome into the faithful.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
We love to have you.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
It's really good to be here.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
I love being part of a flock.
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