iHeart’s ‘Armchair Experts’ Adds NFL Coverage Ahead Of Melbourne Game.

As anticipation builds for the NFL's first regular-season game in Australia, the indie sports podcast "Armchair Experts" is launching a new miniseries that chronicles the years-long effort to take the league Down Under. Hosted by Australian sports broadcaster Cam Luke, the podcast goes behind the scenes of the Sept. 11 game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, exploring the planning, negotiations and partnerships that culminate in what organizers describe as one of the biggest sporting events ever staged in Australia.

The series, titled "Armchair Experts: California to the G," debuts this week with an interview featuring NFL Australia General Manager Charlotte Offord. Future episodes feature interviews with Victorian Minister for Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos, Melbourne Cricket Club CEO Stuart Fox, New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins, and former AFL and NFL players Ben Graham and Arryn Siposs.

"Like all Australian sports and NFL fans, the idea that we would see an NFL game in our backyard never seemed realistic to me," Luke says. "The fact that it's happening and how it came about is a story that needs to be told, and I am honored to be at the forefront of telling it."

The addition of NFL content broadens its sports coverage as interest in American football continues to grow in Australia. Luke says he was in New Orleans when the game was announced and is looking forward to joining what he expects will be 100,000 fans at the MCG for the historic matchup.

The launch also marks an expansion for "Armchair Experts," which is adding NFL programming to its Australian Rules football-focused show through its ties to iHeartMedia, which has had an alliance with the league since 2020.

In addition to the limited series, the show plans to release weekly NFL episodes alongside its established AFL coverage throughout the football season, culminating with dedicated Super Bowl coverage in February.