Kick-off for Mr McGrath's beloved Kansas City Chiefs is 10.30am on Monday, Ballarat time, for the National Football League's match that both stops a nation and captivates audiences worldwide. And kick-off in Miami is right in the middle of Morning Tea with Gav McGrath which is beamed on ABC Ballarat and South West Victoria, covering Warrnambool, Portland and Hamilton.

How his show unfolds, Mr McGrath admits, could be unpredictable as he aims to remain professional, balanced and engaged with his audience.

Increasing popularity and access to watching American sports, including NFL, basketball and college sports, is creating a huge new legion of fans across Australia. But for Mr McGrath, this is an interest that runs deep.

Mr McGrath, who is also a passionate Richmond AFL supporter and former sports reporter for The Courier, has been following the Chiefs for about 25 years. This was sparked by what he said was a "cultural exchange" with a American he met in a social media platform talking military history. Talk with Mooster Yates quickly turned to football.

"I didn't understand the sport and I didn't like the sport until he taught me how to watch American football," Mr McGrath said. "American football is a great sport with a great balance between offence and defence. I'd say soccer is too defensive, basketball is too offensive but American football is a great balance, and like Australian football in that regard.

"Once you see it live, you get it. I've been to a game at (Chiefs' home ground) Arrowhead Stadium - the loudest stadium in the world, and that's in the Guinness World Records. If you go Richmond-Collingwood at the MCG you might have 100,000 fans with 50,000 Collingwood and 50,000 barracking for Richmond. Go to Arrowhead and 77,000 people are all wearing Red."

Mr McGrath said the Chief Kingdom (yes, it is a thing) is in the mid-west states, stretching across Missouri, Kansas and parts of Oklahoma. Unlike the big cities like New York City or Los Angeles, football is the culture here, Mr McGrath said.

Moose lives in Independence, Missouri, north of Kansas City. He proudly wears a Richmond jumper, hat and holds a Tigers' coffee mug. He sent Mr McGrath "Chiefs merch" including a jersey emblazoned with Mr McGrath's initial social media handle, Tiger Tank 17.

Mr McGrath has only ever seen one Chiefs' fan in Ballarat. It was at a service station where a car had a Chiefs' bumper sticker. Mr McGrath doffed his Chiefs' cap to the driver.

If wanting to taste a little American football, Mr McGrath urged Ballarat people to look not further than the Chiefs who for too long had been "lovable losers".

"One of the things that does my head in is that most people in Ballarat wearing NFL gear, it's the Raiders, mostly because all the gangsta rappers wear their merch. The Raiders have been awful for years," Mr McGrath said.

"Or, it's the Dallas Cowboys because everyone's heard of them. Or, it's the (New England) Patriots because they always win.

"If you want to go beyond the obvious, look for a team like Kansas City Chiefs. You'll stand out.

"This game depends on the Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He's a young kid, a bit like (Richmond star) Dusty Martin but with a slightly better haircut."

Morning Tea with Gav McGrath will feature a Super Bowl-themed segment with San Francisco 49ers fan and podcaster Jeremy "The Frame" Warfe and a representative from Ballarat Gridiron on Monday.

The show airs weekdays on ABC Ballarat and South-West Victoria and via the ABC Listen app.

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