CANBERRA, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- American basketball fans could soon be tucking into Australian meat pies rather than hotdogs.
The Aussie pie maker, Four' n Twenty, is using the star appeal of Melbourne-born NBA sensation Ben Simmons to fuel its drive into the United States market.
Pies were advertised at 76ers home games at Wells Fargo Center for the first time last weekend, and Four' n Twenty chief executive Paul Hitchcock said on Tuesday the three-year deal was just a first step.
"Four'n Twenty would love to help fulfill Ben Simmons and other Australian basketball fans dream to have an NBA game in Australia," Hitchcock told News Ltd on Tuesday.
76ers Brett Brown predicted that Americans would fall in love with pies, telling the Herald-Sun newspaper on Tuesday "the market was there to penetrate."
"It's such a part of the Australian culture," said Brown, who spent 17 years in Australia and coached the national team.
"What the hotdog is to America, the meat pie is to Australia. It's just part of the fabric of the nation."
Four'n Twenty pies have been an Australian favourite for 70 years, marketed as the perfect snack while watching sport.
First made in the former Victorian gold mining town of Bendigo in 1947, the pie is made from mutton and beef in a spiced gravy with carrot and onion, and encased in a flour and margarine shortcrust pastry.
Simmons, a first-round first pick in the 2016 draft, has made a stunning start to his NBA career since his debut last month.
Favorite to be named rookie of the year, he is averaging 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists per game, and is the only player in NBA history to notch at least 170 points, 100 rebounds and 80 assists in his team' s first 10 games.
Simmons is the son of former American basketballer Dave Simmons, who played in the Australian national league for 13 seasons.
Ben holds dual citizenship and played a season of college basketball before being signed by the 76ers on a reported salary of 6 million US dollars.
He is making his mark on and off the court and is key to the club's plans.
An Australian-themed NBA heritage match headlined by Simmons will be staged in Philadelphia in January.
And Brown said he would like to bring the team to Melbourne to play the first NBA game in Australia.
"To be able to bring Ben back home would just do great things for the sport in Australia," he said on Tuesday.
