NFL

Forget jet lag.

The Los Angeles Rams NFL team is taking a radical approach to its season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne next Friday morning (AEST).

Read more Brazil Orders Nationwide Blocking of Three PixBet Platforms

Eschewing the need to acclimatise to the 17-hour timezone difference from LA (effectively 7 hours if you ignore the international date line), the two-time Super Bowl champions will fly into Melbourne just a day before the match — and then fly out immediately after to prepare for their Week 2 home match up with the New York Giants.

According to ESPN the Rams tested their ‘in and out’ theory by having representatives from the franchise make the 16-hour flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne, and then back again, to track the effects of jet lag. 

Their recommendation was the best approach would be for the squad to prepare for the match at home in LA, then fly to Australia as close to game time as possible, before flying straight back to rest and rehab at home.

As crazy it sounds, the Rams approach isn’t dissimilar to the strategy it successfully used for another international match last season when the players arrived in London on the morning of their game, defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium and then headed straight back to the airport.

Read more Football

Of course, while the compact itinerary may work for the team, it does little to help promote the NFL in Australia given it severely limits the opportunities for Rams players and coaches — the designated ‘home’ team for the match — to participate in promotional appearances for the first-ever regular season match to be played in Australia.

The heavy lifting on that front is being done by the Rams’ rivals, San Francisco, who have already arrived in Melbourne after taking a more conventional travel approach before the Week 1 match up.

The Los Angeles Rams meet the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 of the NFL season on Friday 11 September at the MCG. Kickoff at 10:35am (AEST).

Read more NRL