State of Non-Play: Lack of courts puts basketball in jeopardy

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There aren't enough basketball courts in Australia to meet demand, a detailed analysis of every State's strategic planning documents have revealed.

Basketball has firmly established itself as one of Australia's most popular team sports, with latest AusPlay data confirming about 1.3 million players across the nation, leading Australians spending about $400M to play basketball in every year from 2023.

More than 415,000 Australian adults play organised basketball and spend on average $661 per year ($275M) while parents or guardians of the 226,000 kids playing basketball spend an average $551 ($125M).

The surge in popularity has created a shortage in basketball courts to meet the demand right across the country. It directly impacts the growth of basketball in Australia at every level from learn to play to the NBA and WNBA.

Every State has revealed strategic plans that focus on building more courts and for Australian politicians at the Federal and State level it's becoming a policy issue because 2.2% of voters play organised basketball.

Read Code Sports Basketball's Special Investigation on basketball in NSW here

Basketball NSW CEO Maria Nordstrom told Code Sports Basketball: "We have a lot of catching up to do and each project takes five to seven years to complete with many hurdles to be completed in the process including funding.

"Space is the biggest constraint for the game’s growth everywhere across the state."

Basketball Victoria general manager of government relations & facilities Jake Keogh said: "As basketball is the fastest growing team participation sport in the country and the Victorian population set to almost double over the next four decades, there will be a significant increase in demand for infrastructure, programs and opportunities in basketball.

Basketball SA bosses added even more weight to the challenge.

CEO, Basketball SA Tim Brenton said: "By prioritising improved infrastructure statewide, we will ensure basketball remains accessible and enjoyable for all, strengthening our role as a foundation of the South Australian sports community."

Basketball SA chair James Kitching added: "The One Team, One Goal Strategy 2025-28 provides the strategic framework through which we can benchmark basketball in South Australia.

"It will require collective action, bold decisions, and progressive effort from all stakeholders."

Kitching was referencing the development of more facilities to accommodate the popularity of basketball in South Australia.

Basketball NSW "Gap Analysis" in their strategic plan two years ago revealed a short-fall of 55 courts by 2032 in both metropolitan and country regions.

"The highest priority and opportunity is the construction of new courts and stadiums in locations where the sport experiences constraint today," was the headline of the Basketball NSW Strategic Plan 2022–2025.

Between 2025 and 2027, it is expected 20 new basketball courts will be built in NSW catering to 500 new players per court.

These are the key takeaways from every State and Territory facilities audit and planning intiatives.

🟦 Basketball Western Australia (BWA)

• Goals:
  • Every WA resident can access a basketball facility in their local area.
  • All regional facilities and NBL1 clubs to have 6–8 courts.
• Projects:
  • Expand Bendat Basketball Centre (16–20 court State Centre).
  • Build new facilities in Perth Southeast and Northeast corridors.
  • Improve school access via shared use agreements.
• KPIs:
  • 95% peak usage at Bendat
  • 80% population within walking distance of a local court
  • 50% of new community facilities enable 3x3

🟩 Basketball ACT

• Strategy: “Fit-for-Purpose Facilities” is one of five pillars.
• Focus Areas:
  • Community-wide facility access through partnerships.
  • Cost-effective upgrades of owned facilities.
  • Advocate for equitable usage and investment.

🟧 Basketball Tasmania

• Timeframe: 2025–2035
• Strategy Title: State Facilities Strategy
• Key Concepts:
  • “Homes and Hubs” model (centralised and satellite facilities).
  • Court provision ratio benchmarks per LGA.
  • Identifies gaps by region: Greater Hobart, Northern, Southern, North-West.
• Actionable Items:
  • Facility audits and provision tables per LGA
  • Prioritised regional builds based on population growth and youth sport demand.

🟥 Basketball South Australia

• Strategic Pillar: Places to Play
• Objectives:
  • Expand and upgrade facilities aligned to population growth.
  • Ensure all venues meet safety, accessibility, and sustainability standards.
  • Complete and implement Statewide Facilities Audit.
• Action Plan:
  • Long-term infrastructure plan
  • Collaboration with local councils and schools for access
  • Deliver upgrades by 2028

🟨 Basketball Queensland

• Report Type: Facilities Usage Audit
• Key Themes:
  • Significant reliance on school venues (e.g., Citipointe, Mansfield SHS).
  • Many associations share courts with multiple clubs.
  • Calls for greater court availability through partnerships, upgrades, and demand mapping.
• Output: Detailed venue-by-venue matrix highlighting court numbers and shared-use conflicts.

🟪 Basketball Victoria

• Strategy: Facility & Infrastructure Priorities 2024
• Scale:
  • 495,724 total participants, 1133 courts used weekly
• Critical Gaps:
  • Casey: 46-court deficit (rising to 68 by 2041)
  • Whitehorse: 20-court shortfall since 2015
  • Shepparton, Mornington, Sunbury, Tarneit, Point Cook: all flagged as priority projects
• Pipeline Projects:
  • 30+ active builds or upgrades in planning or design across the state
  • Advocacy for $300M+ in total investment across multiple LGAs

Basketball NSW

• Gap Analysis (ActiveXchange):
  • Sydney shortfall: 136 courts (2023) → 170 (2032)
  • Regional shortfall: 79 courts → 100 by 2032
• Completed Courts (2021–23): 42
• Planned/Approved Projects: 17 new builds, 23 in planning
• Top Priorities:
  • West Xcell (Blacktown): 12 courts, $98.5M
  • Penrith Gipps St: 10 courts, $104M
  • Manly, Campbelltown, Condell Park, Hills: Expansion and new builds
• Policy Push:
  • Better access to indoor school courts
  • Joint planning with local councils via SportsEye data

Importantly, each of the State and Territory strategic plans have alignment.

🇦🇺 National Alignment: Key Facility Initiatives

To unify state priorities into a national basketball facilities strategy, these common initiatives have emerged:

1. Adopt a Court Provision Ratio

• Goal: 1 court per 20,000–25,000 residents nationally
• Basis: WA, TAS, VIC, and NSW all use this benchmark for infrastructure planning.

2. Mandate Shared-Use Agreements with Schools

• All states call for easier, equitable access to indoor school facilities.
• National policy advocacy could unlock thousands of underutilised courts.

3. Establish a Tiered Facilities Model

• "Homes and Hubs" framework in TAS and NSW
• Could be standardised nationally:
  • Local (2–3 court) → Regional (6–8) → State Centres (16+)

4. Develop a National Infrastructure Audit & Map

• VIC and SA have audits; NSW uses SportsEye.
• Proposal: Basketball Australia coordinate a national facilities map and supply/demand tracker.

5. Prioritise Underserved Areas

• Fast-growth LGAs (e.g. Casey, Sunbury, Blacktown, Whittlesea, Hobart fringes) are appearing in multiple plans.
• National funding support or co-investment could target court deserts.

6. Incentivise Multipurpose Builds

• Federal/state grants should favour multi-sport, 3x3-enabled, and school-community shared venues.
• WA and VIC explicitly prioritise 3x3 court compatibility.

7. Sustainable Design Standards

• SA emphasises energy-efficient, safe and accessible venues.
• National design template with green standards would ensure future-proofing.

Code Sports Basketball spoke to Manly Warringah Basketball Association general manager Duane Jordan, who highlighted a not uncommon challenge for clubs in Australia.

“A problem for us is the court spaces we have access to," Jordan said.

"Our primary space is a six-court facility, but with the popularity of the sport we need more than double that to meet the local demand.

“We are limited to grow because of the lack of courts … we’re losing people who are interested because they don’t have the opportunity to join our association, junior programs or competitions. Everything has a time and I think basketball’s time is now.

“We don’t want to limit the popularity of the sport through lack of access.”

Jordan said Manly had turned away more than 220 teams because of a shortage in courts.

Australia's politicians are now firmly on the hook given the amount of Australians playing basketball.

“These venues are more than just sporting infrastructure,” Nordstrom said.

“They are essential community hubs that accommodate a range of indoor sports and also offer vital spaces for programs that engage youth and support the elderly.

"Such spaces help combat social isolation and foster a stronger sense of community belonging, something that has been deeply missed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Without proper infrastructure to support the growth of basketball, the next Lauren Jackson, Andrew Bogut, Ezi Magbegor, Dyson Daniels, Alanna Smith, Andrew Gaze, Jade Melbourne, and Josh Giddey might never get the opportunity to realise their full potential.

About the Author

Peter Brown is the head coach of the Sydney Comets Women’s Youth League team in the Waratah Basketball League in NSW. He is also the assistant coach for the Comets NBL1 women’s team in the NBL East Conference. Peter is a 30-year journalist, starting as a sports reporter at the NT News in the early 1990s. He played junior basketball for the Northern Territory at national championships from U16 to U20 and for the Territory’s senior men’s team at numerous international tournaments. Peter has been a basketball fan since the early 80s, especially the NBA. Basketball is his passion — and his opinions his own. Email peter.brown@basketball.com.au with feedback. Any email feedback on articles sent to Peter can be published on basketball.com.au for others to read.