Virgin Australia Secures NBL and WNBL Airline Rights in Three-Year Deal

The National Basketball League (NBL) and Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) have finalised a major three-year commercial partnership naming Virgin Australia as the Official Airline Partner of both premier competitions.

The multi-league deal will directly subsidise and streamline interstate travel requirements for fans, teams, elite players, officials, and corporate partners across Australia.

Commenting on the partnership, NBL Group CEO, David Stevenson, said: “This partnership with Virgin Australia reflects the momentum behind our leagues and the increasing demand we’re seeing for basketball, with fans travelling across the country to support their teams and be part of major events.”

“This new partnership will help us continue to grow HoopsFest, easing access to Perth and deliver even more amazing experiences to basketball fans,” Stevenson said.

Expressing their enthusiasm about the partnership, Virgin Australia chief marketing and customer operations officer, Libby Minogue, added: “Sport has a unique ability to bring people together, and we’re proud to expand our presence through our partnership with the NBL and the WNBL, while also supporting the local tourism economy.”

“Alongside our partnerships with the AFL, AFLW, Carlton and the Sydney Swans football clubs, we’re building meaningful connections with sports fans across the country,” Minogue added.

HoopsFest Locks in Perth Expansion Until 2028

Concurrently, Virgin Australia has been named the Presenting Partner of HoopsFest, anchoring a renewed two-year commitment by the Western Australian Government. Financed through Tourism Western Australia, the massive multi-league basketball festival has officially secured its future in Perth until 2028.

The premium multi-day activation has evolved into a vital destination-marketing vehicle for the local tourism economy. The upcoming iteration will expand into an extended five-day sports event calendar diary, locked in to run from 13-17 January at Perth’s RAC Arena.

The festival has fast established itself as a lucrative scouting hub, regularly drawing high-profile international scouts, administrators, and NBA franchise executives tracking elite domestic prospects.

The previous edition established significant commercial momentum, generating record-breaking aggregate crowds of over 35,500 physical attendees, marking a steep 25 per cent year-on-year volume increase.

The scheduled fixture blocks for the January showcase include:

• The Launch: A WNBL championship rematch between the Perth Lynx and Townsville Fire.
• The Prime-Time Showcase: A Friday night double-header featuring the hometown Perth Wildcats against the New Zealand Breakers.
• Full-League Convergence: Consecutive regular season fixtures involving all rostered NBL and WNBL squads, supplemented by grassroots community clinics and the free Bounce Nation Fan Zone.

To immediately activate the commercial sponsorship, Virgin Australia deployed a targeted national retail fare reduction campaign, offering promotional one-way interstate flight paths directly into Perth to stimulate tournament tourism volumes.

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