NZ American Football event cancelled

The American Football Southern Bowl has been cancelled after a lack of fan interest in the code on New Zealand soil.

Promotion group Douglas Webber Events had planned to bring out two 50-strong gridiron squads to New Zealand next March for games in Auckland and Wellington.

They had also secured the services of Mike Holmgren, who coached the Green Bay Packers to Super Bowl victory in 1996, to coach one side and Mike Shanahan, who coached the Denver Broncos to two Super Bowl wins, to lead the other.

Despite the drawcards New Zealand fans weren't interested.

"It has been determined that it is not feasible to carry on with the event as it is a concept that has not resonated with the New Zealand public," the group said in a statement.

"Whilst we felt that New Zealand was ready to engage with the NFL, the New Zealand public have not enveloped American Football to the extent of attending an event."

Fans who had bought tickets to the event would be refunded.