OPALS V CHINA SERIES
With Melbourne set as the stage for the Australian Opals’ homecoming showcase, Basketball Australia engaged SPEAK Communications to lead the public relations campaign for the Opals v China Series at John Cain Arena. The two-game international showcase served as a key step in the team’s preparation leading into the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026, while celebrating the continued rise of women’s basketball in Australia.
Tasked with driving ticket sales and mainstream awareness, SPEAK delivered an integrated communications strategy designed to elevate the profile of the Opals beyond traditional sports audiences. The campaign positioned the series as a premier school holiday event, highlighted the 20-year anniversary of the historic 2006 World Cup winning team, and showcased Basketball Australia’s commitment to growing participation through the She Hoops Festival of Girls. Recognising the importance of engaging Melbourne's diverse communities, the program combined targeted multicultural media outreach with proactive pitching across sport, news and lifestyle media.
Our role spanned strategic media relations, athlete storytelling, broadcast outreach, influencer engagement and on-ground media management. SPEAK facilitated exclusive athlete interviews, coordinated a national media call featuring current Opals and Australian basketball legends, managed live broadcast opportunities, and developed compelling story angles that celebrated both the team's legacy and its exciting future. By placing athlete personalities at the heart of the campaign, we created authentic storytelling moments that resonated with media and fans alike.
The campaign helped drive strong attendance, welcoming more than 6,000 fans to each game while generating significant national exposure for the Australian Opals. SPEAK secured 682 pieces of earned editorial coverage across television, radio, print and online media, alongside 136 creator posts that generated more than 1.1 million impressions across social platforms. Together, the integrated campaign elevated the profile of the Opals, strengthened the visibility of women's basketball and built excitement ahead of one of the sport's biggest international moments.
