RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks today announced new efforts in Australia and New Zealand ahead of the first NFL game in Melbourne. As global markets for the Seahawks, NFL Melbourne Week represents a significant milestone in the league's international growth efforts and provides a unique opportunity for the Seahawks to deepen relationships with the 12s across Australia and New Zealand.
Seahawks Partner with Collingwood FC
The Seahawks and Collingwood FC have entered a first-of-its-kind partnership between an NFL club and an AFL club. One of Australia's most successful and popular teams, the partnership will connect two passionate fan bases while creating opportunities for collaboration in a variety of areas. The Seahawks and Collingwood FC's first joint event will be an NFL x AFL crossover flag football clinic held at Collingwood's facilities during the NFL Melbourne game week.
12s Everywhere Ambassadors
The Seahawks also announced the first Australian and New Zealand members of the team's 12s Everywhere Ambassador Program, which pairs the team with influential individuals in its global markets to help grow Seahawks fandom and engagement in those markets.
New ambassadors include:
- Reece Walsh, one of Australia's most dynamic rugby league stars and current fullback for the Brisbane Broncos. Walsh has also represented Queensland in the State of Origin series, and Australia in the 2025 Kangaroo tour of England.
- Hudson Young, standout forward for the Canberra Raiders, who has made more than 150 Australia National Rugby League appearances and established himself as one of the league's top performers.
- Andy Hearnden ("Andy Cooks"), the New Zealand-born chef and content creator whose audience exceeds 19.9 million followers across social media platforms. As part of the partnership, Hearnden will collaborate with the Seahawks on an upcoming episode of his digital series, "Fuel to Win," which explores how food and nutrition fuel performance for professional athletes and championship-caliber sporting organizations.
- Lachy McIntyre, commonly known as Lachy Mac, is a prominent Australian comedy content creator and podcaster known for his viral social media skits and humorous content. He is the co-host of the popular podcast Nobody Asked.
Seahawks House, powered by AWS, visits Melbourne
The Seahawks have a robust schedule of team activities planned during NFL Melbourne Week, including:
- The team's first Seahawks House activation in Australia is coming to Melbourne September 10-12 at the Imperial Hotel. Fans can join for three days of interactive experiences, exclusive giveaways, live entertainment, and special appearances from Super Bowl champion Cliff Avril and 12s Everywhere mascot BAM. Fans will also have the chance to see the Vince Lombardi Trophy as it makes its first international stop on the Seahawks Trophy Tour, presented by Accenture. Fans will also enjoy a Seahawks vs. Patriots Watch Party on Thursday, September 10, an NFL Melbourne Game Watch Party on Friday, September 11, and an AFL/NRL Finals Watch Party on Saturday, September 12.
