When the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers take the field in Melbourne, Australia this September, they won’t just be making NFL history. They’ll be bringing California agriculture with them.

The California Table Grape Commission, All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, and the Los Angeles Rams officially announced a major partnership on June 22 to showcase California grapes on a global stage, timed to the first-ever regular-season NFL game played in Australia. It’s a move that turns a sporting milestone into a marketing moment for one of the Central Valley’s most iconic industries.

A Once-in-a-Generation Platform

The numbers behind this moment are hard to ignore. The Rams-49ers game in Melbourne is set for Thursday, September 10 at 5:35 p.m. PT and will stream globally on Netflix, putting California front and center in front of one of the largest international audiences the NFL has ever seen.

Australia is no random market for the California table grape industry. It’s one of the commission’s key export destinations, making the Melbourne game a natural platform to reach Australian consumers where they are, watching their new favorite sport, with California grapes woven into the event experience.

“This is a uniquely California moment,” said Ian LeMay, president of the California Table Grape Commission. “When two California football teams meet in Australia for a landmark event, it creates an extraordinary platform to tell California’s story. For our growers and shippers, Australia represents an important export market, and this partnership allows us to highlight that exceptional athletes and agriculture products are rooted in California and shared around the world.”

Why Davante Adams? The Central Valley Connection

This partnership didn’t happen by accident. Davante Adams isn’t just a famous face, he’s a Central Valley native.

Adams is from northern California who played college football at Fresno State, located in the heart of California’s table grape growing region. His path from the Central Valley to one of the most decorated careers in the NFL mirrors the same values the commission promotes every harvest season: hard work, quality, and excellence grown right here in California.

Adams didn’t mince words about what the deal means to him personally.

“I’m from California, and the Central Valley will always be home,” Adams said. “That’s where my story began. Working with Grapes from California feels authentic because it represents the same people and values that shaped me. Taking that connection to Australia lets me bring that Valley pride and share it with fans across the world.”

That’s not marketing speak, that’s a Fresno State alum talking about the land that raised him. For Central Valley farmers and communities, that kind of authentic representation on a global stage means something.

What the Campaign Actually Looks Like

The partnership goes well beyond a logo on a jersey. As part of the deal, Grapes from California have been named the Official Grape of the Los Angeles Rams, both domestically and in Australia.

The campaign will feature two consumer sweepstakes designed to drive excitement on both sides of the Pacific. Australian fans will have the chance to win tickets to the historic Rams-49ers Melbourne game, while a second sweepstakes will award a grand prize trip for two from Melbourne to Los Angeles, including travel and tickets to a future Rams home game.

California grapes will also be integrated into Rams-hosted fan activities happening in and around Melbourne on game day. More details about specific activations are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

The Rams organization is equally enthusiastic. “The Rams are proud to partner with Grapes from California as we bring one of the biggest moments in our season to an international audience,” said Chris Edwards, LA Rams Vice President of Partnerships. “Together, we’re celebrating the growing connection between the Rams and fans in Australia, using this global stage to share our story and engage audiences around the world.”

Big Timing for the Grape Industry

The announcement couldn’t come at a better time for California’s table grape growers. The 2026 season is already off to an early start, with warm temperatures pushing harvest timelines ahead of schedule and giving retailers and export partners more runway on promotions.

The California Table Grape Commission was established by the state legislature in 1967 and today runs a global marketing campaign reaching the U.S. and 22 international export markets. Australia has long been one of those key destinations, and a Netflix-streamed NFL game watched by millions of Australians is exactly the kind of mass-market moment that doesn’t come around often.

At a time when California agriculture has faced serious headwinds, trade disruptions, water policy uncertainty, and rising input costs, a campaign of this scale and visibility is a genuine shot of momentum for growers, shippers, workers, and their families across the Valley.

The Bottom Line

California is sending its best to Australia this September, two NFL teams, a Fresno State legend, and the grapes that have defined this region for generations. For growers in the Central Valley, it’s a rare chance to see their work celebrated on a stage that stretches from Melbourne to living rooms around the world.

The game is September 10. The grapes are already growing. And Davante Adams, Fresno’s own, is taking the Valley with him.