FOOTBALL IN HIGH HEELS: AUSTRALIA HOSTS COLLEGE FOOTBALL
TLA Worldwide and TEG have today announced that Sydney, Australia will host the 2016 College Football season opener which will see the University of California, Berkeley (Cal Bears) play the University of Hawaii (Rainbow Warriors), at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on Saturday, August 27.
It will be the first time college football will be played in Australia as a regular-season game in 30 years. The announcement of the game is a fantastic result for the students from both Colleges, as well as Australian sports fans and Sydney. The game will be known as the Sydney College Football Cup.
Confirmation of the exciting fixture comes at a time when interest in American football in Australia is at an all-time high, with notable performances by Australians Jarryd Hayne (San Francisco 49ers), Brad Wing (New York Giants) and Jordan Berry (Pittsburgh Steelers).
TLA Worldwide CEO Michael Principe believes the rapidly developing interest in American football from Australians makes it an ideal time for the historic game to be hosted exclusively in Sydney, home of major sporting events.
“Australian fans are hungry for American football to hit their shores and we’re thrilled that two quality College Football teams in the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Hawaii are going to break new ground and will open their 2106 seasons in Sydney,” Principe said.
“We want to continue to build the popularity of college football around the world, and given the growing interest and involvement of Australian athletes in American football, we see this as an ideal opportunity to play the game at a packed crowd at ANZ Stadium.”
The annual host of the National Rugby League Grand Final in Australia, the pinnacle match of one of Australia’s most popular sports, ANZ Stadium can seat up to 83,500 fans.
University of California, Berkeley Athletic Director Mike Williams and University of Hawai’i Athletic Director David Matlin say the opportunity to play the ground-breaking game in Sydney will be a unique experience for the students and support staff of both universities.
“We are thrilled to open our 2016 football season in Sydney,” Williams said.
“This will be a tremendous cultural and educational experience for our student-athletes, our football program, our university, and our fan base around the world. We are a global university with global alumni and fans, and we are excited to be bringing college football to the great country of Australia.”
“The University of Hawai‘i is thrilled for this wonderful opportunity to open the 2016 college football season in Sydney against the University of California, Berkeley. Our football program has tremendous pride in not only representing the state of Hawai‘i, but all of the Pacific region,” Matlin agreed.
“From a cultural perspective, this game will afford our student-athletes an experience they will always remember and give most of them the chance to travel outside the United States for the first time in their lives. Traditionally, the University of Hawai‘i has been fortunate to welcome many student-athletes from Australia and we hope this game opens doors for many more.”
Australia isn’t known as a traditional American football following nation, but with the country’s representation in the collegiate program constantly growing, there is increasing interest in the performances of Australian athletes and their teams.
Sydney, Australia – FAST FACTS:
- Sydney is the capital city of the Australian state of New South Wales
- It is a major sporting hub of Australia as well as Australia’s most popular tourist destination.
- It officially became a city in 1842
- In the last national census Sydney’s population was listed at 4.293 million people
- George Street in Sydney is the oldest street in the whole of Australia
- Rugby league is the most popular sport in Sydney. The NRL which began in Sydney in 1908 is the largest and most prestigious domestic rugby league competition in the world
- Operating since 1875, the Sydney Ferries carries over 14 million passengers each year in and around Sydney
- The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the widest long-span bridge and tallest steel arch bridge in the world, and the 5th longest spanning-arch bridge according to Guinness World Records
- The first Australian to receive a collegiate football scholarship was Defensive End Colin Scotts, originally from Sydney, who played for the University of Hawaii before being drafted to the NFL by the then-St Louis Cardinals in 1987
About TLA Worldwide
TLA Worldwide is a leading athlete representation, event management and sports marketing group quoted on AIM-LSE in London. The Group derives revenues from long term agency relationships with many prominent US and international sports stars, broadcasters and media personalities associated with major sports including the MLB, NFL, NBA, PGA TOUR, AFL and Olympians and Cricketers. In addition, it also provides a range of services in respect of media consultancy, sports sponsorship and event creation and ownership, including the International Champions Cup tournament in Australia. With over 170 full-time personnel, TLA Worldwide serves its clients from 10 locations worldwide including its offices in London, UK; New York and Newport Beach, California, USA; Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Sydney, Australia. For more information, please visit www.tlaworldwide.com.
