Virgin Australia will become a major sponsor of the WNBL as part of the deal, and will also see the carrier provide team flights across the nation, as well as working alongside the league and individual clubs to organise travel and logistics, and provide lounge access to all the League's players.

Basketball Australia chief executive Kristina Keneally claimed the deal represented the extensive growth of the WNBL and women's sport on the whole.

"We congratulate Virgin Australia for recognising the professionalism and dedication of our female athletes," Keneally said.

"Virgin Australia has been great supporters of men's basketball for some time now, taking on the National Basketball League as their first partnership with a major sporting body in 2004.

"With this new partnership, Virgin Australia has now stepped up and thrown significant weight behind the WNBL, too - a very welcome move from a major national airline and a move which shows great leadership.

"Virgin Australia has shown a strong vote of confidence in the contribution our female athletes make to the Australian sporting landscape, and in the future direction of the WNBL itself.

"We're proud to have Virgin Australia as the Official Airline partner of the WNBL, and we look forward to further strengthening our relationship in years to come."

Bendigo Spirit won their first WNBL title this season, as attendances and viewing ratings grew in the league


Virgin Australia general manager of marketing, Michael Scott, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with the Women's National Basketball League.

"As the official airline sponsor, we will be able to use our extensive network across Australia to support this fantastic sport, its teams and players.

"We look forward to welcoming them on board,"

General manager of the Australian Women's Basketball Players' Association Sharin Milner echoed Keneally's sentiments, claimed that the hard work and commitment of the players was now being rewarded with high-profile recognition.

"We believe this is a significant step in the right direction in terms of acknowledging the players' ongoing commitment to elevate the playing standard of the WNBL, which puts it amongst the best female basketball leagues in the world," she said.

"The use of the lounge will provide great benefit for the players in aiding their preparation and recovery - this was an issue that featured prominently in the last two member surveys so to have this outcome is very pleasing."

The WNBL was founded in 1981 and features nine teams, the most successful of which are the Canberra Capitals, with seven division titles to their name, the most recent of which came in 2010.

The league was made available to more people on free-to-air channels last season and was streamed live on the internet, which saw a 24 per cent growth in viewings, and attendances have also gone up by 30 percent in the 2012-2013 season on the previous campaign.

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