The San Francisco 49ers came to Australia and handled the trip like a team that understood exactly what was at stake beyond the scoreboard.
After returning home, the overall picture of the week is clear: from a commercial standpoint, the 49ers did everything right. They arrived more than a week early, gave themselves time to acclimatize and took part in the full slate of media obligations. They treated the visit the way George Kittle described it - as “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” - and they made sure to use it.
Kyle Shanahan wasn’t thrilled when the 49ers were picked as the designated away team against the Los Angeles Rams. He said he didn’t like the assignment and said the Rams lobbied for San Francisco to be the away side so they could avoid a packed red crowd at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. But once the team got to Australia, that frustration did not define the trip.
Shanahan’s concern was about his players’ welfare, and he made that clear. From there, he leaned into what the opportunity meant. He understood this was bigger than a normal regular-season game and that the NFL was using the moment to introduce itself to a new audience.
That showed in the way the 49ers carried themselves throughout the visit. Shanahan and the franchise’s main leaders were visible, engaged and active, whether they were speaking with the media, handling PR duties or interacting with fans.
The Rams’ side of the trip looked very different. They arrived at the last possible minute, lost 27-7 and headed straight home. For a team designated as the home side, that approach did little to help the NFL make the right first impression in a new market.
The 49ers, meanwhile, left behind something much more valuable than a win. The victory made the 16-hour flight home easier to swallow, but their conduct across the trip may matter even more if the league keeps coming back. If the NFL is looking to build interest in Australia, San Francisco may have already done a lot of the heavy lifting.
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