Melbourne United heading to Bendigo for Ignite Cup blockbusters

Melbourne United is excited to announce that the club is set to play four games in Bendigo across the next two seasons in partnership with the Victorian State Government through Visit Victoria, supported by City of Greater Bendigo.

Having previously played in Bendigo a number of years ago, the club is excited to head back to the region for our NBL26 and NBL27 Ignite Cup Games.

Set to take the court inside of Bendigo Stadium across the January School Holidays, United will face off against the Cairns Taipans on Wednesday 7 January from 7:30pm and the Brisbane Bullets on Wednesday 21 January from 5:30pm.

Melbourne United CEO Nick Truelson touched on his excitement to return to the region for the games across the next two seasons.

“We couldn’t be more proud to be bringing the NBL back to Bendigo through this partnership,” Truelson explained.

“Driving tourism to the region is one of the key focuses of this partnership and we are excited that fans from all over Victoria will be able to travel to Bendigo to not only watch us play, but also experience everything Bendigo has to offer these School Holidays.

“This partnership also provides us with a great opportunity to engage with the community through basketball programs across both this season and next.

“We have a very special connection to the Bendigo region thanks to our Next Star, Dash Daniels, and the Daniels family. Hopefully seeing our stars on the court competing hard may inspire more young hoopers in the region to follow the pathway paved by Dash and Dyson.

“As a club, we want to give a massive thank you to the Victorian Government, Visit Victoria, the City of Greater Bendigo for making this possible.”

These sentiments were echoed by Premier of Victoria and Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan in a statement.

“These games will attract thousands of fans to Bendigo and showcase our city to an audience from across Australia – making it a win for fans and local businesses.”

Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements added.

“When major events like the NBL come to Bendigo, it provides a big boost for the local economy – because visitors flock to hotels, restaurants, bars and cafes.”

City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf touched on her excitement at having Melbourne United commit to the region over the next two seasons.

“We’re thrilled to be welcoming Melbourne United to Bendigo for NBL26 and NBL27 Ignite Cup Games,” Cr Metcalf said in a statement.

“Basketball runs deep in our city’s veins, from grassroots to national championships, and of course homegrown stars including Dash and Dyson Daniels. Hosting elite games at Bendigo Stadium is a fantastic way to celebrate that passion, and these matches will not only entertain but inspire the next generation of local talent. 

“The City of Greater Bendigo is proud to support this partnership and showcase our region as a destination for top-tier sport.”

With so much up for grabs across both games, you won’t want to miss a second of the action. Tickets will be available via Ticketek.com.au.

Pre-sale tickets for Melbourne United Members will open on Monday 15 September from 10am and run until 11am on Wednesday 17 September, at which time General Public tickets will go on sale.

Being Ignite Cup games, these games sit outside of regular Full Season Membership Packages.

Two-Game Membership packages for the games in Bendigo will also be available via the Melbourne United website. 

These Memberships starting from just $26 for juniors and $54 for adults include:

• Ticket to both Melbourne United Ignite Cup games in Bendigo
• A Card and Lanyard
• Priority Access to final tickets should Melbourne United qualify
• Exclusive Members Communication
• A 10% merchandise discount