La Trobe Financial partners with the NFL

La Trobe Financial has signed a multi-year agreement as an official partner of the National Football League (NFL) in Australia, which is said to be one of its fastest-growing international markets for the American sport, with more than 8.8 million Australian fans following the sport.

The partnership comes as the NFL prepares to launch its first ever regular season game in Australia, which will be played at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday, 11 September 2026.

The game will see the Los Angeles Rams taking on the San Francisco 49ers.

According to La Trobe Financial, the official partnership forms part of a broader strategy to align with premium brands that share its values of performance, excellence, and community.

It said that the partnership will include a series of fan engagement initiatives, customer experiences, and game-week activations that aim to connect with people through their shared passion for sport.

Speaking of the multi-year partnership, La Trobe Financial CEO Chris Andrews said it brings together Australia’s “leading alternative asset manager with one of the world’s most recognised sporting organisations”.

“Sport has an extraordinary ability to bring people together,” Andrews said.

“Whether it’s families gathering around the television, friends travelling across the country to support their team, or tens of thousands of fans sharing a moment in a stadium, some of life’s most memorable experiences are built around shared passions.

“The inaugural NFL Melbourne Game is far more than a sporting event. It is a cultural moment that will bring together fans from Australia, the United States and around the world, while showcasing Melbourne on the global stage.

“The partnership reflects La Trobe Financial’s continued commitment to create opportunities that bring people together, strengthen relationships and deliver meaningful value for clients, partners and the broader community.”

He added that the 74-year-old company had recently surpassed $25 billion in assets under management and was “proud to partner with the NFL as it prepares to create history in Australia”.

Charlotte Offord, NFL general manager of Australia & New Zealand, said the partnership demonstrates the growing excitement surrounding the league’s expansion into Australia.

“We’re thrilled to be able to announce our partnership with La Trobe Financial, as we continue to build momentum towards the 2026 NFL season and our first-ever regular season NFL game in Melbourne,” she said.

“The NFL is committed to growing the game in Australia year-round, and having strong commercial partnerships to support the work we are doing is pivotal to that success.

“Our partnership with La Trobe Financial is built on a shared belief in the power of sport to bring people together, and we’re looking forward to working with them to create more incredible opportunities to do that leading into the NFL Melbourne Game and beyond.”

The announcement comes as the NFL continues its preparations for the 2026 NFL season, which officially kicks off on Thursday, 10 September when the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, host the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl LX rematch.

The Melbourne game will be a stand-alone ’Thursday night football’ fixture in the US and will be broadcast on Netflix.

The introduction of the NFL to Melbourne means the city will be the first in the world to host a tennis Grand Slam, a Formula 1 Grand Prix, and an NFL regular season game.

Victoria’s Minister for Major Events Anthony Carbines said: “Major events like the NFL are economic powerhouses – they fill our hotels, support our jobs and put Victoria on the world stage.

“When viewers see Melbourne on their screens, they book flights and plan their next holiday here.”

Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements said: “Major sporting events are a catalyst to build momentum and opportunity right across Victoria – and we are seeing that in real time with NFL visitors discovering what Victoria has to offer both for business and pleasure.

“Visitors and Victorians are about to get a front row seat to the greatest six months ever in Australian sport. The NFL Melbourne Game is followed by events like the AFL Grand Final, the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Australian Open Golf, the Boxing Day Test, Australian Open tennis, the Formula 1 Grand Prix and the 150th Anniversary Test.”

[Related: La Trobe simplifies SMSF refinance journey]

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