The following is a guest contribution. The views are the author’s own.
Drive through any East Gippsland town on a Saturday and you will find its heart at the local ground. Netball courts, footy ovals, bowls greens and tennis courts are where regional communities actually meet, and keeping those facilities in good shape takes money, volunteers and sponsors who are willing to put their name behind the local club.
That is why the recent wave of court and pavilion upgrades across the region matters so much. When a tennis court is resurfaced or a carpark is sealed, it is not just infrastructure, it is a reason for families to keep turning up.
The online entertainment sector has become part of that sponsorship conversation too, with established operators such as betpas among the brands that support sport and community activity. Whoever is on the signage, the principle is the same: back your local clubs, play responsibly, and keep the lights on at the ground.
Grassroots sport gives regional towns their rhythm. Supporting it, through sponsorship, volunteering or simply showing up, is one of the best investments a community can make in itself.