Bendigo Bank is proud to help break down barriers, creating safer spaces for LGBTQIA+ athletes to play, connect, and belong through sponsorship of Queer Sporting Alliance (QSA) Rainbow Rounds.
QSA is Australia’s largest and premier LGBTQIA+ sporting club whose impact is powerful and intentional.
They provide safe, welcoming spaces where athletes can play, connect, and belong both on and off the court. Since their inception have centred inclusion for all, specifically on transgender and gender diverse people.
As a new sponsor of QSA, Bendigo Bank is championing inclusion in sport at a grassroots level, supporting more than 1,600 members across Australia participating in basketball, netball, futsal, pickleball, and roller-skating,
Queer Sporting Alliance/Image Supplied“We believe that community sports should be accessible, safe, and welcoming for absolutely everyone,” said Sarah Bateson, Chief Marketing Officer for Bendigo Bank, “Which is why we are incredibly proud to partner with the Queer Sporting Alliance.”
“This sponsorship aligns with our core purpose of championing equality and fostering a true sense of belonging.”
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The Bendigo Bank Rainbow Rounds
Four years ago, QSA launched an Australian first, Q League, a community basketball league built by queer folk for queer folk.
Under their partnership, Bendigo Bank will sponsor the quarterly ‘Bendigo Bank Rainbow Rounds’ in Q League. The sponsorship will directly reduce barriers to entry by keeping membership fees affordable, subsidising court hire, and funding match umpires and dedicated on-site player wellbeing officers.
“We look forward to supporting QSA’s growth into regional areas and seeing the positive impact of initiatives like the Bendigo Bank Rainbow Round,” said Bateson.
The purpose of Rainbow Rounds is to mark special occasions or events by introducing special ‘rules’ to add an additional layer of fun for players.
In line with Bendigo Bank’s active culture of inclusion, Bendigo Bank staff will be invited to volunteer and actively participate in the initiative.
Queer Sporting Alliance/Image SuppliedThe partnership coincides with QSA’s plans for regional expansion, which includes two new basketball competitions commencing in regional Victoria, beginning with the Macedon Ranges, with another competition in the City of Casey scheduled for late 2026.
‘Bendigo Bank’s support makes a tremendous difference’
Bindy Cohen, Executive Director of the Queer Sporting Alliance, is excited to have Bendigo Bank on board to help the organisation dismantle barriers in community sport for its members.
“The Rainbow Round is a major highlight on our Q League calendar, and having Bendigo Bank’s support makes a tremendous difference,” Cohen said.
“As the world’s first mixed league with non-gendered rules—spanning teams in Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Hobart, Launceston, and Canberra—this partnership will help support us in removing barriers and welcoming even more members into social sport and the QSA community.”
Queer Sporting Alliance/Image SuppliedThis sponsorship is the latest chapter in Bendigo Bank’s long-standing legacy of backing grassroots sports, building on the $110 million invested in local sports and recreation clubs across Australia since 1999.
In June, Bendigo Bank was named Employer of the Year at the Annual Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards, the nation’s leading celebration of workplace inclusion.
Find out more about Queer Sporting Alliance here.
For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, and community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
