Overview
Usually only found within the borders of the red, white and blue, the sport of American Football will finally get some freedom by making its way down under for the first time next year.
The age-old sport is the most popular in the U.S., with close to 2 million high school and university athletes knocking around the pigskin ever year. The country’s national championship game, the Super Bowl, ranks among the most-watched sporting events in the world, and also happens to be the second-largest day for food consumption.
The visit to New Zealand will be part of a sporting showdown known as the Southern Bowl. Across two weekends next March, two teams of pro-football players will play a series of games to determine who takes back home the inaugural Southern Bowl Cup.
The event will play out from March 5 - 12, 2016 at Eden Park in Auckland and Westpac Stadium in Wellington, both of which will be transformed into American Football fields for the event.
All the trimmings have been promised, including cheerleaders, marching bands, a blimp, and an authentic American Football half time show. The traditional pre-game event of 'tailgating' will also be present, with both the Eden Park and Westpac Stadium car parks hosting barbecues before the games.
Over 70 players who aren't currently signed to NFL contracts, as well as coaching and support staff will be selected over the next few months as try-outs are held across America. See the Southern Bowl website for more information.