NFL Academy launches on the Gold Coast that will service entire Asia-Pacific region
Gold Coast’s famous coastline will be beamed live into millions of US homes as part of the 2024 NFL draft broadcast on the same day the league launches a groundbreaking new Australian academy. Go inside the program and elite facilities here.
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Gold Coast’s famous coastline will be beamed live into millions of US homes as part of the 2024 NFL draft broadcast on the same day the league launches a new Australian academy.
Philadelphia Eagles NFL star Jordan Mailata has returned home to Australia to be the face of the NFL’s second global academy and will be crossing live from the sand at Queensland’s Burleigh Heads beach on Friday as his team decides who to choose with pick 22 of the draft.
Gold Coast school A.B. Paterson College has become the launching pad for the groundbreaking academy that will service the entire Asia-Pacific region and add to the NFL’s first development pathway set up in the United Kingdom.
For the first time Australian students will be able to combine full-time education alongside American football training conducted by world class staff.
Flag football will also be taught at the academy, a move could also set Australia up for a tilt at an Olympic medal following its inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
“We are excited to bring the NFL Academy program to Australia and the Asia-Pacific region – underlining the league’s ambitions and commitment to grow the sport and the fan base in the market in the long term,” NFL Australia and New Zealand general manager Charlotte Offord said.
“The NFL Academy, alongside the ongoing investment and development in NFL Flag, will not only see more boys and girls engage with our sport, but offers more pathways for young athletes to play the game in the region in the years ahead.”
The NFL, school, Gold Coast Council and Queensland Government will fund the development of a high performance facility for the academy that is set for completion by 2026.
The NFL’s UK academy already boasts 40 alumni who have secured college scholarships in the US while over 30 students will play college football in 2024, including 19 at Division 1 level.
The academy’s presence will open the door for more Australians to follow in the footsteps of Mailata who played representative rugby league at under-18 and under-20 level in Sydney before joining the Philadelphia Eagles where he featured in the 2022 Super Bowl.
Mailata went through the International Player Pathway Program and is an ambassador for the NFL Academy in Australia.
“Football has changed my life, and opening an NFL Academy in Australia will no doubt help many more young people change theirs,” Mailata said.
“The Asia-Pacific region is rich in sporting talent, and I look forward to seeing the next generation of football players out there craft their own pathway to playing in the NFL in the years to come.”
A.B. Paterson College principle Joanne Sheehy said the landmark deal was the start of generational opportunities for students.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said it was a sporting windfall for the city that would deliver investment benefits across 10 years.
“Not only will the city benefit from significant global marketing exposure, but the local community will have access to a new high-performance field and facility that will also allow us to attract more national and international sporting teams to the coast,” Tate said.
NFL Academy – Australia Recruitment Camp Schedule:
Gold Coast – June 29, 2024 at A.B. Paterson College, Gold Coast
Sydney – July 6, 2024, The Hills Sports High School
Auckland, NZ – August 24, 2024, Bruce Pulman Park
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