The National Basketball League (NBL) has expanded its community and fan development strategy through a new youth-focused initiative with long-standing partner Bunnings.
The program, titled Courtside Access, will run across 20 games in Australia and New Zealand this season, offering children aged eight to 15 the opportunity to attend matches, meet players and take part in on-court activities.
Seventeen-year-old Melbourne United guard, Dash Daniels, who has been named as an ambassador alongside former AFL player, Dan Gorringe, emphasised the relevance of providing young players access to elite environments.
“It wasn’t too long ago I was one of these kids and being able to sit courtside with your friends and meet your idols is an unreal opportunity offered by Bunnings and the NBL,” Daniels said.
The partnership represents the latest activation in Bunnings’ six-year relationship with the league. The retailer continues to use sport as a platform to deepen its community positioning, particularly among families and younger audiences.
Bunnings chief corporate affairs officer, Melissa O’Neill, said the company viewed the initiative as a natural extension of its existing work in community sport.
“We’re proud to continue our six-year partnership with the NBL, during which basketball has seen incredible growth and engagement.”
“With Courtside Access, we’re excited to help inspire the next generation of young ballers by giving them an experience they’ll always remember,” O’Neill said.
The initiative is structured as a nationwide competition, with each winner invited to bring a group of four friends and two guardians to share the experience.
The approach aligns with the NBL’s continued focus on driving deeper family engagement and building pathways for young fans to stay connected with the sport as participation grows.
Basketball’s domestic growth provides the backdrop for the program launch. According to the latest AusPlay data, basketball is now the country’s second-most participated team sport, with an estimated 1.3 million players nationwide.
Junior participation remains a key growth segment, with more than 350,000 regular participants aged five to 14 and a reported 25 per cent increase in girls’ involvement since 2022.
Initiatives such as Courtside Access are positioned to reinforce that momentum by linking grassroots enthusiasm to the professional league environment.
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