Why you need to include ‘Gameday’ play on every California sportscursion itinerary

Visit California has teamed up with Stan Sports to launch ‘Gameday’, a special revealing why California is a leading destination for sporting events. Watch and you’ll soon see why no California itinerary should be without a game day inclusion. If you recently took Visit California’s Let’s Play quiz you’ll know play can be many things, including watching your favourite sports games!

Visit California, in partnership with Stan Sport, Australia’s leading streaming service, has just announced the release of ‘Gameday’, a special celebration of the intersection of sports, entertainment, and California’s unique uplifting spirit.  

Australians and Californians share a mutual love for sports, making ‘Gameday’ on Stan Sports the perfect match for travellers seeking to immerse themselves in the state’s vibrant sports culture. 

The Ultimate Playground 

For Australians, California is The Ultimate Playground. We’re an active bunch and love incorporating fun activities into our itineraries. Whether it’s exploring theme parks with excitement (like on this recent fam to Disneyland), zip-lining through the trees, or soaring awe-struck over the countryside in a hot air, California offers endless opportunities for adventure and enjoyment.

Anyone can discover their perfect playstyle in California, from the most active adventurers to those seeking more laid-back experiences. As the ‘Gameday’ special reveals, you can immerse yourself in the state’s incredible sporting events and California’s unique and limitless ‘play’ possibilities in one thrilling trip.

The ultimate sports state 

Watching play at home and watching it live are two very different things. You only need to go to a Los Angeles Rams American football game or watch the San Francisco Giants hit it out of the (baseball) park to find out how much fun you can have as a spectator!

With a staggering 1 in 10 Aussies (2.7 million!) tuning into the Super Bowl, building an itinerary around attending this legendary live event is a travel goal for many.

The crowd fervour. The hot dog and beer sold to you right at your seat. The attention grabbing moves you’re making to try and get on the live cam! And that’s only part of the joy of attending live games and matches.  

It’s super easy to experience game day in California. It’s home to more professional sports teams than any other US state. It’s also hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the 2026 FIFA World Cup in San Francisco and LA, and the 2026 Super Bowl in Santa Clara.  

What is ‘Gameday’? 

Game day is the big day of any sporting event where the team or individual is competing for the coveted prize.

‘Gameday’, is a also a 1-hour Stan Sports special, connecting viewers to the heart of seven unique California cities and their respective sporting highlights. This includes the LA Rams, Sacramento Kings, Anaheim Ducks, San Francisco Giants, Long Beach Indy Car, Palm Springs Desert Smash, and female soccer team, the San Diego Waves. 

Watch the Stan Sports special in dedicated episodes (links below) for an an insider’s perspective on the adrenaline-pumping experiences and vibrant culture that define California’s sports landscape. Plus, each of the seven episodes reveal Australia’s connection to these sports, too. Like player Mitch Wishnowsky, Punter for the San Francisco 49ers and Melbourne United basketballer Matthew Dellavedova, who played for the Sacramento Kings. 

‘Gameday’ will stir the soul and drive travel to both the games and California’s scenery and vibes synonymous with the state. With each episode, you can expect sporting fans to want to get up off the couch (hurrah) and fly to the respective stadiums to experience it first-hand! 

‘Gameday’ is the perfect complement to the Ultimate Playground, and the unparalleled travel experiences that round out a trip there.  

Watch all ‘Gameday’ episodes here:

How to add game day to every California itinerary 

With so many sporting events to choose from, adding a game day to your client’s California itinerary is effortless. Here’s how:

1. Your client comes to you with the sports events they want to attend, and you weave an itinerary around that event.  

2. You use Stan Sport’s ‘Gameday’ to promote trips to California to your clients, booking tickets, and hotels with ease on Infinity Holidays’ Helio platform.

3. You stay ahead of the game by downloading the Infinity Holidays California Sporting Event Calendar on Infinity Holidays’ Helio platform.

California game days 2024/25 

If you’re all for being proactive in adding cool sporting events to your client’s trip, here are some key dates you need to know: 

• NBA is hot-hot-hot right now for Aussies fans with the second-largest fan base outside of the US! You therefore need to know the new NBA season kicks off 24 October until June, with playoffs in May and the finals in June. Diarise August for NBA tickets to matches with legends like the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings. Women’s NBA has a shorter season, from May to September with Los Angeles Sparks tickets on sale in March.
• The NFL (National Football League) season runs from September to February, culminating in the world-famous Super Bowl. Tickets go on sale from May for Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, and San Francisco 49ers matches.
• For NHL (National Hockey League) fans, you’ll need to know the season runs alongside the NBA, from October to June. Tickets for matches to see the LA Kings, Anaheim Ducks, and San Jose Sharks go on sale in August.
• Major League Baseball is on from March to October with tickets on sale from January for clients keen to see the LA Dodgers, LA Angels, San Francisco Giants, and more.
• For Major Soccer League fans, catch matches from February to October. Tickets go on sale in December for LA Galaxy (David Beckham’s old team), LAFC, and San Jose Earthquakes matches.
• For NCAA college sports fans, the USC Trojans play from August to December with tickets on sale from May. The UCLA Bruins Basketball season is from November to March; get tickets from August.

The deets 

Whether your clients are sports enthusiasts or simply looking to add some excitement to their itinerary, California’s dynamic sports culture has something to suit. And thanks to Infinity Holidays’ Helio platform, you now know how easy it is to turn your clients’ sports dreams into reality.

Especially when you use their downloadable annual sporting calendar to know what games are on and when tickets go on sale. Legendary!

Stan subscribers, catch a glimpse of the ‘Gameday’ special here. 

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