Sixers Celebrate Australian Heritage Night at the Wells Fargo Center with Four’N Twenty

South Philly probably doesn’t have a single thing in common with New South Wales.

That’s simply not the case according to Philadelphia Eagles OL Jordan Mailata, a Sydney native who, before being drafted by the team in 2018, had never played a down of organized football prior the 6'8" 340 pound Aussie attending the renowned IMG Academy after growing up plowing down people on the rugby pitch.

After ringing the ceremonial bell to tip off the Sixers-Heat game last night at the Wells Fargo Center for Australian Heritage Night, Mailata told me that the comradery he feels in Philly is similar to the defining characteristic of his home nation, that of getting along with one another. “I don’t want to steal the words ‘brotherly love,’ but that’s pretty much it. I’m glad I’m here in Philadelphia.”

Mailata was at the game interacting with fans and watching his fellow countryman Ben Simmons on behalf of Four’N Twenty who launched their Four’N Twenty Traveller, an oblong-shaped fresh pastry filled with 100% Australian Beef, at the arena.

For us Americans, Mailata explained, “[Four’N Twenty Traveller] would be the equivalent of a cheesesteak back home. It is a must back home.”

Right now, the brand activation is unique to the Sixers and the Philly market CMO Anand Surujpal noted.

“A Sixers exec reached out to the company 18 month ago. With with [Melbourne native] Ben [Simmons], [Melbourne native] Jonah [Bolden]and [former Australian national team coach] Coach [Brett] Brown, we made a strong connection. We learned a lot in year one, and now we are starting to activate tighter and understand the consumer better, getting more people to try and experience the brand.”

In addition to the Sixers roster making sense, so too seemed the Philly fan base to Surujpal. “Philadelphia a great sport nut city [and that’s the demographic we are going for]. Four’N Twenty is the Australian cheesesteak, an Australian hot dog, the ultimate fan food. We are focused on people, and the product came along for the journey.”

He added, “We started with the Sixers. We are about the fan and the sport, but not just one particular sport. Now with the partnership with Jordan, we want to get broader and become a part of the footprint of the game, regardless of the game.”

Mailata acknowledged that jumping into a new market, be it an athlete or a foreign brand, isn’t always easy, “I had a rough patch there, learning everything, but Igot through it. Moving away from Australia, moving away, taking a risk for a sport you never played before, I really wanted to see what I could do, what I could accomplish. I’m thankful I had the people in the corner that I had.”

For his part, Simmons put up 21 points, 7 boards and 4 dimes as the Sixers took care of the heat on the court.

“Seeing Benny — I caught up with him a few times — seeing him on the court is weird,” said Mailata, “I keep trying to call his name on the court, but then I remember: GAME FACE! GAME FACE!”