World Footy News

In an effort to continue to develop its ties with the Australian football community, USFooty has introduced an Australian Ambassador program with five initial ambassadors - former Hawthorn champion, Robert "Dipper" DiPierdomenico, businessmen and former Hawthorn President, Ian Dicker, former South Fremantle player and current USFooty Nationals Commentator, Rod "Grilla" Grljusich, Brownlow Medalist and former Brisbane Lions star, Michael Voss, and mangement consultant and current AFL Commissioner, Colin Carter. According to USFooty, "the mission of the USAFL Ambassador program is to promote the interests of the USAFL and the growth of Australian Football in the US. The USFooty Ambassador program is comprised of individuals who have a high profile who will help promote the USAFL in Australia and America and have the capacity to assist the USAFL board in a number of different arenas." The Ambassador Program rolls out hot on the heels of USFooty's Australian Advisory Board. USFooty's Paul O'Keeffe says the Ambassador program is meant to compliment the Advisory Board by creating a network of Australians in the football and business community who are interested in helping to develop footy in the US.

Probably the most well known name on the initial list of ambassadors is "Dipper" aka Robert DiPierdomenico. Dipper became a star at Hawthorn because of his toughness and his skill in helping the Hawks to five AFL Premierships. Since retiring Dipper has become a media personality and worked with the AFL's Auskick junior football program. Dipper came to his first USFooty Nationals in 2006 in Las Vegas.

Ian Dicker was Hawthorn President for nine years, making him a high-profile member of the AFL community. Despite that high-profile position and success in businees at Pacific Dunlop and Ansell International, Dicker is an unassuming man with a passion for developing footy in the US. At the 2003 USFooty National's in Kansas City, Dicker was wearing a tag with his name and Hawthorn Football Club underneath. Someone asked him want he did for the club - his matter-of-fact response, "I'm the President". Ian has not just talked about developing USFooty he has personally worked to get Hawthorn to sponsor two clubs in USFooty - the Philadelphia Hawks and the Arizona Hawks, and even carried boxes of jumpers and equipment to those clubs.

Colin Carter is a management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group and a member of the AFL Commission. Michael Voss is a former Brisbane Lion star, Brownlow medalist and All-Australian captain. Grilla, aka Rod Grljusich, is the voice of USFooty. He is a former South Fremantle player who is developing a career as a professional stadium, radio and TV commentator.

By developing this network of Ambassadors, USFooty is hoping to leverage the connections within and without Australia to increase its growth. According to Grilla, "The members chosen for initial ambassador program are of a profile and very much a part of the inner workings of football - particularly in Australia - who can promote and expose the product to multiple centers of influence within their fields. USFooty is now is at a point where it basically sells itself. With the free trade agreement it is now more than ever that Australian business wants to ride through the market of 300 million people. With USFooty, what better marketing vehicle could there be?" Dicker agrees although he thinks that the program may need some more formal arrangements, "I think that the Ambassador program probably needs a meeting of those Ambassadors with a view to organizing ourselves to be the most productive. I think if we all act individually and relatively unknown to each other, we won't be as effective as if we do meet and talk about what we think can be done."