An idea sketched on a pub napkin is one thing. Moving American college football into Wembley Stadium is another. Speaking to Ahmad Elhawli on Raw Sport’s Business Show, Rob Yowell described how the Union Jack Classic developed from an ambitious conversation into a sporting event, and why the work of building a sustainable international business continues long after the final whistle.
Yowell said the concept took shape at The Prince’s Head in Richmond, the pub associated with Ted Lasso. The attraction was more than putting a game in a famous stadium. He and his partners wanted to bring the atmosphere of American college football to a market already familiar with the NFL, including the bands, cheerleaders, mascots and traditions that distinguish the college experience.
According to Yowell, the London event brought Arizona State and Kansas to Wembley. But the simple idea of flying over two teams concealed a much larger operation. Equipment had to be shipped ahead of the season, universities had to coordinate substantial travelling parties, and organisers had to build the infrastructure around a game taking place during the teams’ regular schedules.
He credited cooperation with the universities and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ UK operations team with helping manage that complexity. For Australian sports considering international fixtures, his account illustrates the operational demands behind the spectacle: transport, equipment, venue conversion and cultural experiences all need to work alongside the sporting contest.
The commercial challenge was equally significant. Yowell said the organisers relied on sponsorship, ticket sales, merchandise and licensing, while the game’s broadcast rights sat within existing conference agreements. Staging an attractive international fixture did not automatically give the promoter a separate television rights package to sell.
That distinction shaped the economics from the outset. Organisers needed the willingness to invest before revenue could cover the operation. As Yowell put it: “The goal is to break even.” His account highlighted a difficult balance for a new event: delivering an experience compelling enough to build demand while establishing a business that can sustain future editions.
Sponsorship also involved more than finding interested brands. Yowell explained that existing agreements involving the stadium, conference and broadcaster could restrict commercial categories available to the event. A potential partner therefore needed to fit both the audience opportunity and a complicated set of rights already held by others.
The first edition also challenged assumptions about grassroots engagement. Yowell said support for the local governing body, coaching access and educational opportunities had not translated into ticket sales as strongly as organisers hoped. His conclusion was direct: “The execution needs to be better”. Supporting an organisation at the top did not guarantee the message would reach individual clubs and players.
Marketing lessons included introducing ticket packages earlier, understanding how different universities communicated with supporters, and making the value of attending clearer to local fans. Yowell described targeting existing American football audiences through community activity, digital content and partnerships, rather than assuming a broad campaign would convert fans of other sports.
Asked when an overseas fixture becomes a genuine growth strategy, Yowell returned to the economics of each market. Stadium capacity, realistic ticket prices, grassroots support and a host city’s contribution all mattered. Interest from a country or a university was an opening for discussion, rather than proof that a game would be commercially viable.
He also distinguished the benefits flowing into a host city from revenue captured by the event itself. Visitors might spend on accommodation, hospitality and tourism without that income reaching the promoter. Understanding those relationships, and negotiating partnerships around them, formed part of the next stage of the business.
For Australian leagues exploring international expansion, Yowell’s experience offers a practical question to carry beyond the launch announcement: what remains once the travelling fans and television cameras leave? The opportunity lies in turning a memorable occasion into repeat attendance, stronger local connections and commercial partnerships that help fund the next event. Watch the full Raw Sport conversation for Yowell’s account of the process.