Fed Square will become a free NFL fan zone this week as Melbourne counts down to the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams’ historic clash at the MCG.
Melbourne End Zone will take over the square on Thursday 10 September and Friday 11 September, giving fans the chance to watch live games on the Big Screen alongside NFL-themed entertainment, activations and post-game shows.
The action begins on Thursday when the Seattle Seahawks take on the New England Patriots, with the game screening live from 10.20am. ESPN Australia’s NFL Afters will also cross live from Fed Square throughout the game.
Once the final whistle blows, an NFL Post Game Show will take over the main stage, featuring NFL analysis, interviews, special guests, talent and plenty of audience interaction.
On Friday, fans can watch the Los Angeles Rams face the San Francisco 49ers live on the Big Screen before another NFL Post Game Show broadcasts from the main stage.
Melbourne End Zone will stay open into the evening on both days, while the nearby NFL Kickoff Festival runs at Melbourne Park from Thursday to Saturday.
The festival will feature an NFL museum, Flag Football competitions, guest appearances and live performances from Peking Duk, Hot Dub Time Machine and Grinspoon.
The NFL takeover follows a massive week of events at Fed Square, including a world-record cheerleading dance attempt on Sunday 6 September led by the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush Cheerleaders.
The MCG game is expected to draw an international crowd, with almost 50 per cent of spectators forecast to come from interstate or overseas and ticket buyers travelling from more than 35 countries.
The event is also giving Melbourne’s tourism and business sectors a boost, with CBD hotel occupancy up 39 percentage points for game night and major conferences including SportNXT, Intersekt Fintech Festival, Data Center World and The AI Summit Australia taking place during game week.
