VOL 27 ISSUE 37, September 21, 2026
Main caption: The Delaware North culinary leadership team at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, led by Executive Chef Dylan Sanding (third from right) taste some of the menu items prepared during a preparation session for the historic NFL game Sept. 11 at the iconic venue. Pictured with Sanding, left to right, are Nilay Jiwtode, pastry sous chef; Ashley Smith, executive pastry chef; Ben Liaw, sous chef; Nessa Doherty, chef de partie; Jess McFadden, chef de cuisine; and Sweta Baichoo, executive sous chef
Delaware North on Sept. 11 (Sept. 10 in the U.S.) served more than 100,000 fans at the first National Football League (NFL) regular season game ever played in Australia, marking the third continent where the company has served fans at an NFL game.
In addition to the company’s partnerships with several NFL teams at their U.S. stadiums, Delaware North has been the hospitality provider at London’s Wembley Stadium in the U.K. since the NFL International Series launched there in 2007, with many games hosted by Delaware North client the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The crowd of 100,021 at the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where Delaware North operates food, beverage and retail services, was the seventh-largest regular season crowd in NFL history. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Rams, 27-7.
The MCG is the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere, hosting Australian rules football (Australian Football League), cricket, rugby and major concerts. The NFL in February 2025 announced a multiyear commitment to play regular season games in Melbourne at the MCG.
“Hosting Australia’s first-ever NFL regular season game was a milestone not only for the MCG, but for Delaware North, said Gary Brown, managing director of Delaware North Australia and New Zealand.
Above: Delaware North chefs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground prepare and test menu items ahead of the NFL game.
“The event showcased the strength of our teams, our operational expertise and our ability to deliver world-class hospitality on one of the biggest stages in global sport. To welcome more than 100,000 fans to such a significant international event was a tremendous achievement and one our entire organization can be proud of,” Brown said.
Joining Brown and other Delaware North Australia and New Zealand leadership in overseeing the MCG operation was Jamie Obletz, Delaware North executive vice president and chief operating officer.
The Delaware North team at the MCG included 2,100 team members and 200 chefs and cooks, many of whom began working in the early morning hours to prepare for the kickoff at 10:35 a.m. Melbourne time. The team began planning for the game a full year before to be prepared to deliver seamless hospitality for an American event in Australia with an international audience and spotlight.
You can watch a video on Facebook showing some of the planning.
“The scale of the operation was extraordinary, with thousands of team members across the venue and many starting work from 2 a.m. to prepare for kickoff,” said Travis Dines, director of hospitality for Delaware North Australia and New Zealand. “Success came down to months of planning, training and preparation, and I couldn’t be prouder of the way our MCG team delivered an exceptional experience for guests throughout the day.”
The operation also included food trucks and bars outside the stadium as fans arrived.
In the corporate, or premium, areas of the MCG, Delaware North served nearly 5,000 guests in 17 different areas with 137 catering sites. In concessions, Delaware North served nearly 90,000 food items.
Corporate/ Premium
- Cheeseburger Croquettes: 4,000 pieces
- Glizzy Corn Dogs: 4,000 pieces
- Hot Dog Rolls: 6,000 units
- Double Patty “Whopper” Burgers: 4,290 units
- Fried Chicken: 1 tonne (2,200 pounds)
- Loaded Fries: 400 kg of chips (882 pounds)
- Assorted Sushi: 18,100 pieces
- The ‘G’ dessert burger: 1,550 pieces
- Choccy ‘Dawg’: 1,550 pieces
- Churro fries: 4,650 pieces
Retail/Concessions
- Chips/Gems/Lattice Fries: 25,074
- Tenders: 9,759
- Mission Dogs: 8,631
- Prime Time Nachos: 4,488
- Soft Drinks and Water: 52,625