Slam Dunk for Inclusivity

Long-time partners Champion and the National Basketball League (NBL) will unite on Sunday, 19 November at Melbourne’s Grand Slam Oval to celebrate the return of the 2024 Champion Pride Round with an Australian-first ‘PRIDE’ display made entirely from basketballs, donated by Spalding.

Champion & NBL will join forces with Spalding and community partners, Pride in Sport and Queer Sporting Alliance, to spell out the word ‘PRIDE’ with 1,300 basketballs. The activation will solidify both organisations’ LGBTIQA+ allyship and ongoing commitment to making sport more inclusive for all. Basketball fans will be invited to make history by supporting the build of the larger-than-life exhibit on their commute to John Cain Arena to watch Melbourne United take on 2023 champions, the Sydney Kings in Round 8.

Kicking off at 2pm, the afternoon will be MC’d by the nation’s first non-binary TV host, Brihony Dawson (they/them), with a special appearance from South East Melbourne Phoenix forward and Champion Pride Round ambassador, Mitch Creek (he/him). The atmosphere will be buzzing with music, Q&As and prizes from Champion. Following the activation, the majority of Spalding basketballs will be donated to local LGBTIQA+ and community organisations including Pride in Sport and Queer Sporting Alliance.