Visit California has kicked off a new partnership with the National Football League (NFL) that makes the Golden State an Official Partner of the NFL in Australia.
“California is the Ultimate Playground for all sports fans,” Visit California president & CEO Caroline Beteta said. “Partnering with the NFL in international markets like Australia strengthens our connection with fans across the globe and highlights California’s iconic destinations and world-class sports experiences, anchored by hosting the next two Super Bowls.
The NFL partnership kicks off in Australia via a strategic campaign with Nova 100 Melbourne Breakfast Show, Jase & Lauren — where the hosts Jase Hawkins, Lauren Phillips and Clint Stanaway will spend an action packed week broadcasting live from California, experiencing a taste of what the Golden State has to offer including horse riding up to the Hollywood sign, exploring the desert wilderness of Joshua Tree National Park and cycling over the Golden Gate Bridge.
The team will embark on the ultimate road trip, from Los Angeles to Palm Springs and then onto San Francisco, where they’ll tick off one of their bucket list items — attending Super Bowl LX at Levi Stadium this weekend.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Visit California,” NFL Australia & New Zealand general manager Charlotte Offord said. “Australia is a significant growth market for the NFL, and this partnership will bring fun, and exciting experiences to our more than 7.5 million fans throughout the region in the year ahead.”
The partnership is also expected to provide further opportunities to create tailored experiences together with the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ners, who have been announced as the designated teams when the NFL plays its first-ever regular-season game in Australia at the MCG later this year.
The new NFL partnership runs through 2027 and includes NFL sponsorship rights for Visit California in Mexico, Canada and the UK in addition to Australia.
The move comes as US travel organisations and DMCs attempt to arrest the decline in Australian visitation to the US, credited with the ESTA visa concerns, a challenging currency exchange and better regional flight and accommodation offers throughout the Pacific Islands and South-East Asia.
US National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) statistics revealed 90,839 Australians arrived in the US in December 2025, a drop of 10.2 per cent compared to the 101,115 who arrived in December 2024, making it the seventh consecutive month of negative growth in Australian visitation. Overall, 958,574 Australians arrived in the US in 2025, down 6.5 per cent from the 1,025,011 who visited in 2024.
