Rams Plan Late Travel for NFL’s Australia Debut

The Los Angeles Rams will leave for Melbourne late Tuesday and arrive Thursday, roughly 24 hours before their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Coach Sean McVay said the late arrival is intended to preserve the team’s normal routine and keep players’ body clocks closer to Los Angeles time, drawing on the Rams’ successful quick-turnaround trip to London last season. The 49ers took the opposite approach, arriving about a week early to acclimate and participate in local events ahead of the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia. McVay acknowledged the strategy will face scrutiny depending on the result, while some critics have questioned whether the Rams’ limited time in Melbourne is a poor way to promote the NFL and engage with Australian fans.