South East Melbourne Phoenix

What South East Melbourne Phoenix does

South East Melbourne Phoenix is a privately held professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL). Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Scoresby, Victoria, the club plays home games at John Cain Arena (branded "The Fire Pit") and the State Basketball Centre, serving fans across South East Melbourne and broader Victoria. The team's product portfolio centers on live NBL match attendance — sold through Ticketek — supplemented by season memberships distributed via a dedicated online portal, an e-commerce merchandise storefront, and corporate hospitality packages including the NBL27 Ignite Hospitality offering. Broadcast exposure via NBL's ESPN and Disney+ partnerships extends reach nationally.

The Phoenix operates a vertically integrated community-to-professional ecosystem anchored by grassroots development programs: Heartland Hoops holiday camps, the Phoenix Academy junior development pathway, school visits engaging over 10,000 participants in Victoria, and the Heartland Crew volunteer initiative. The club participates in the NBL Next Stars program as a talent development partner. Revenue is generated across six streams: ticketing, memberships, merchandise, corporate sponsorships (Premier Partner GOAT Beer; Major Partners including Tyrepower, Stanley Tools, Zeller, Tradie, Ringwood MG, Mills Oakley, and the Victorian Government), NBL broadcasting rights, and community program fees. Distribution spans self-serve digital channels (membership portal, e-commerce shop), third-party platforms (Ticketek), and direct corporate sales. The franchise recorded a franchise-best 22-11 regular season in NBL26, finishing third and reaching the semi-finals for the second consecutive year under head coach Josh King, ahead of its 10th NBL season in NBL27.

Name

South East Melbourne Phoenix

Legal name

South East Melbourne Phoenix

Website

https://semphoenix.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

South East Melbourne Phoenix is a privately held professional basketball team in Australia's NBL, founded in 2018 and based in Scoresby, Victoria. It generates revenue from ticketing, memberships, merchandise, corporate sponsorships, broadcasting rights, and grassroots community basketball programs serving South East Melbourne and broader Victoria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports Team

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Basketball Leagues (MPAKAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sports Collectibles, Fan Gear & Licensed Merchandise Retail (CRAMABAO)

Keywords

• Professional basketball team
• NBL match ticketing
• Season memberships
• Team merchandise
• Community basketball programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Scoresby

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from game attendance, tickets sold through Ticketek platform for home games at John Cain Arena
2. Memberships: Season memberships providing access to home games, exclusive benefits, and priority seating
3. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling team merchandise including jerseys, apparel, and accessories
4. Corporate Sponsorship: Partnerships with corporate sponsors ranging from premier partners (GOAT Beer) to major partners (Tyrepower, Stanley Tools, Zeller, Tradie) to official and supply partners
5. Broadcasting Rights: NBL broadcast partnership with ESPN and Disney+ for live game coverage
6. Community Programs: Revenue from Heartland Hoops holiday camps, school visits, and community engagement initiatives

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

South East Melbourne Phoenix operates a professional men's basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL), selling match-day tickets (via Ticketek), season memberships, official team merchandise, and corporate hospitality experiences. The franchise also delivers community-facing basketball programs including Heartland Hoops school clinics, the Phoenix Academy junior development pathway, and the Heartland Crew volunteer initiative, anchored by home venues at John Cain Arena and the State Basketball Centre in Melbourne.

Product overview

The South East Melbourne Phoenix operates as a professional NBL basketball club offering a multi-channel product portfolio centered around live game experiences and community engagement. The core offering includes match attendance through NBL27 season tickets and individual game tickets, complemented by the Phoenix Merchandise Shop for official apparel. The club extends its reach through community programs including Heartland Hoops holiday camps, Phoenix Academy for junior development, and the Heartland Crew volunteer initiative. Digital products encompass the semphoenix.com.au website platform hosting news articles, video content including The Phoenix Files documentary series, and match statistics. Corporate services include Ignite Hospitality packages for business clients. The Phoenix also participates in the NBL Next Stars program for elite player development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Match Tickets

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• GOAT BeercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPremier Partner of South East Melbourne Phoenix. Logo featured prominently on website as the premier partner designation.
• TyrepowermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Partner of South East Melbourne Phoenix. One of the key commercial sponsors in the partnership program.
• Stanley ToolsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Partner providing tool and equipment sponsorship to the Phoenix organization.
• ZellermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Partner - payment solutions company sponsoring the Phoenix.
• TradiemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Partner - trade services brand associated with the Phoenix sponsorship program.
• Ringwood MGmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Partner - local car dealership supporting the Phoenix.
• Mills OakleymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Partner - professional services firm in the Phoenix sponsorship portfolio.
• Victorian GovernmentmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Partner - Victorian Government supporting Phoenix through sports development initiatives.
• Wilson SecuritysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner providing security services to the Phoenix organization.
• William AdamssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner - CAT equipment dealer providing equipment sponsorship.
• TAC (Transport Accident Commission)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner - Victorian government road safety agency.
• HART SportsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner - sports equipment supplier, also supports Heartland Crew volunteer program.
• Drewitt's BulbssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner - match preview content sponsor (Drewitt's Bulbs Match Preview series).
• JD SportssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner - athletic footwear and apparel retailer.
• Westfield KnoxsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner - shopping centre supporting Phoenix community initiatives.
• 3x3 HustlesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBL Properties partnership for 3x3 basketball competitions and pathways.
• NBL OnesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBL Properties partnership for NBL1 South competition featuring Casey Cavaliers and other semi-pro leagues.
• NBL Next StarssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBL program developing young talent for college and professional basketball pathways. Malique Lewis participated as Phoenix Next Star.
• TicketekcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial ticketing partner for all Phoenix home games. Tickets sold through premier.ticketek.com.au.
• ESPN / Disney+majorGTM or Marketing PartnerBroadcast partner for live NBL game coverage. Every Phoenix match broadcast live on ESPN with additional coverage on Disney+.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brisbane Bullets: NBL basketball franchise operating with the same league-broadcast and ticketing infrastructure, offering directly comparable ticket, membership, and sponsorship economics.
• Sydney Kings: NBL basketball franchise in Australia's largest market with a similar mix of ticketed games, memberships, merchandise, and corporate sponsorship — directly comparable franchise economics.
• Cairns Taipans: NBL basketball franchise with similar community-led operations, ticketing through Ticketek, and corporate sponsorship monetization.
• Perth Wildcats: NBL's most decorated franchise and a comparable revenue model (tickets, memberships, merchandise, sponsorship) with a long track record of community engagement — directly competitive benchmark.
• Illawarra Hawks: NBL basketball franchise with a strong regional-community model and similar sponsorship/ticketing stack — directly comparable in scale and revenue mix.
• Melbourne United: NBL basketball franchise based in Melbourne, directly competing with SEM Phoenix for Melbourne ticket buyers, corporate sponsors, and media share in the same metropolitan market.
• Adelaide 36ers: NBL basketball franchise with comparable single-market operations, community programs, and corporate sponsorship portfolio structure.
• Tasmania JackJumpers: Newer NBL expansion franchise with a strong community-led model, similar GTM motion to Phoenix (grassroots engagement + ticketed games + memberships), and a comparable regional-fanbase profile.

Regional players

• New Zealand Breakers: NBL franchise based in New Zealand — operates in the same league and competes on-court, but is regionally separate and draws from a different home market and broadcast footprint.

Broad incumbents

• NBA (National Basketball Association): Global incumbent in professional basketball whose franchise economics, sponsorship models, and broadcast-rights structures set the ceiling and reference set for NBL teams like the Phoenix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SEMelbPhoenix
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmSmNtjqsYiKcb-GtuENgnQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/SouthEastMelbournePhoenix
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-east-melbourne-phoenix
• Instagraminstagram.com/semphoenix
• TikToktiktok.com/@semelbphoenix?lang=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South East Melbourne Phoenix