A1A South

JACKSONVILLE — The Australia Day Challenge rugby league match Jan. 26 at the University of North Florida is shaping up to be the biggest and most unique international sporting event hosted here.

The South Sydney (Australia) Rabbitohs, partly owned by Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe, will face the Leeds (U.K.) Rhinos, champions of the engage Super League, at 1 p.m. in the first meeting of British and Australian teams in the United States.

The novelty of rugby league here, international attention from passionate fans across two oceans and the star power of a Hollywood icon have contributed to a growing buzz and sense that the event’s significance is greater than the 10,000 spectators expected in Hodges Stadium would suggest.

“It’s just grown by leaps and bounds,” said Michael Bouda, manager of sports and entertainment for the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission. “An event of this magnitude with the quality of the teams opens us up to other teams that maybe didn’t think about coming here to play.”

Besides the teams, the New South Wales government sees the event as a way to reach a desirable market, said Kristina Keneally, a member of the New South Wales Parliament sent to Jacksonville as Sydney’s ambassador. The Web site SydneyAustralia.com is sponsoring the Rabbitohs and is on the front of the players’ jerseys. Besides tourism, Sydney hopes people will visit the site to learn about international business opportunities.

“We’re sending a message that Sydney is a great place for investment, particularly in technology and financial services,” said Keneally, who is the only U.S.-born woman ever elected to the state Parliament and will flip the coin before the match. “We see Florida as a great market to promote our brand, our message and our city.”

Visit Jacksonville President John Reyes said that for an organization whose budget doesn’t permit much overseas marketing, “this is more than we could ever wish or hope for getting our message out to the U.K. or Australia.”

For a sports town, the event “broadens our horizons on what we can host here,” Mayor John Peyton said. “It’s an opportunity to put us on the map with Australia and England.”

People from 41 states and nine countries have bought tickets to the Australia Day Challenge, including friends Carol Stevens and Lois Bachynski from Ontario, Canada.

“We’re loving it,” said Stevens, a Crowe fan whose affection for the actor spilled over to his team. “We’re here for a week and we’re making a vacation of it.”

Source:  Jacksonville Business Journal

I believe the tickets were $10 each.  I’d love to go if there are any still available.