Geelong United Basketball, like many sporting clubs, was forced to close its doors in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was at this time Geelong United Basketball needed a way to ensure the continued expenses of operation could be covered while no income was being generated. This crisis saw the inception of the ‘Keep the Lights On’ campaign.

KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON

Geelong United Basketball was established in October 2019 and saw the merger of Corio Bay Basketball Association and Basketball Geelong. The Association is made up of over 6,500 players from just shy of 800 teams from grassroots community competitions to elite open age leagues.

The ‘Keep the Lights On’ campaign was a mass awareness campaign primarily using social and email marketing to spread the message around the local community.

FUNDRAISING METHOD

Geelong United Basketball CEO, Mark Neeld, said “Muffin drives, and sausage sizzles require volunteer hours, up-front expenses and rely on the community attending the venue, all of those factors meant it was simply impossible to use ‘traditional’ methods of raising funds.” He continued;

“The experts at the ASF provided us with the platform, ideas and support to help us raise over $50,000.”

END RESULT

After 366 days of having the doors of the Basketball stadium shut, Geelong United Basketball now has more teams and players than before the pandemic.