November 6, 2025

SEN and the Victorian Government partner to take Bendigo Spirit across regional Victoria

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Sports Entertainment Network (SEN) - through its WNBL team, Bendigo Spirit - is proud to announce a landmark partnership with the Victorian Government to deliver a series of elite women’s basketball matches and community engagement events across regional Victoria.

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Supported under the Significant Sporting Events Program, the agreement will see Bendigo Spirit host multiple regional events across the 2025–26 and 2026–27 WNBL seasons, including upcoming WNBL matches in Traralgon, Ballarat and Geelong, alongside pre-season games that have already been held in Warrnambool and Shepparton.

The initiative aims to grow basketball participation, celebrate diversity and inclusion, and strengthen community connections while showcasing regional Victoria as a premier destination for sport and tourism.

“This partnership is a game-changer for women’s sport and regional communities,” said Craig Hutchison, CEO of SEN.

“We’re proud to work with the Victorian Government to bring elite basketball to new audiences, tell the stories of our incredible athletes, and inspire the next generation of players and fans across the state.”

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Steve Dimopoulos, said it was great to see the Bendigo Spirit inspiring the next generation of basketball players.

“Thanks to the Significant Sporting Events Program, people all over regional Victoria will have the chance to enjoy elite basketball.

“Showcasing women’s basketball and beautiful parts of our state means backing the future of women’s sports in Victoria, while also backing local tourism, jobs and local businesses.”

As part of the partnership, Bendigo Spirit will deliver a comprehensive community engagement program in each host city, including open training sessions, school visits, coaching clinics, junior development programs and business networking events.  

Already, the Spirit has held 2025-26 pre-season matches in Warrnambool and Shepparton, where the team’s players and coaches also delivered a range of clinics to different segments of the local community.

For the remainder of the events being hosted throughout the 2025-26 season, clinics and events will be held in conjunction with five regular-season Bendigo Spirit matches hosted outside of Bendigo:

Traralgon
Round 6: Bendigo Spirit v Perth Lynx on Sunday 23 November

Ballarat
Round 8: Bendigo Spirit v Geelong Venom on Friday 5 December

Geelong
Round 9: Geelong Venom v Bendigo Spirit on Saturday 13 December

Ballarat
Round 13: Bendigo Spirit v Southside Melbourne Flyers on Friday 9 January

Geelong
Round 13: Geelong Venom v Bendigo Spirit on Friday 30 January

All matches will be broadcast nationally via 9Now, ESPN and Disney+, with additional content produced by SEN’s television production arm, Rainmaker, to amplify the reach and impact of the events.