There are growing fears there’ll be no domestic netball premiership next year – a major blow in a World Cup year.
1News understands Netball New Zealand is seriously considering putting the ANZ Premiership competition on hold, or returning to an amateur one, for financial reasons.
The organisation had been looking into privatising the league, but that idea appeared to have dried up.
Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic general manager Gary Dawson said he was optimistic about the competition's future but ruling out a premiership next year meant they would need to work hard to bring it back in 2028.
"For me it would never be the end, it may just be a transition period," Dawson said. "Once again, we’re all hoping and working hard to get something in place next year."
Teams were currently unable to contract players as there was no broadcast deal in place.
"We’ve made it very clear to our staff and our players that because of the uncertainty, if they have opportunities elsewhere, either with netball or jobs or whatever, then they should seriously look at taking them because we can’t promise them anything," Dawson said.
This year the ANZ Premiership was exclusively aired on TVNZ. It reached more than 1 million people on TVNZ 2 and a further 169,500 accounts on TVNZ+. The season was streamed over 868,700 times on TVNZ+.
Sky held the broadcast rights from 2017-2025.
Former Silver Fern and Stars assistant coach Leana de Bruin said she had watched Netball New Zealand’s financial position with increasing concern.
"Especially with Sky not backing netball then you go OK, what is next? This year was tough as well with TVNZ and Netball New Zealand having to contribute to that. Just what’s happening in the world, I’m in a different industry and I see how it’s a struggle for everyone; it’s not just in sports,” De Bruin said.
The 138-Test Silver Fern was hopeful the sport could land on a solution to ensure a domestic competition in 2027.
"I hope it’s not the end. Netball has been a big part of lots of our lives. You would hope there is somebody that would save this and look at this commercially and as a business."
Concerns for the domestic premiership's future were unfolding two days out from the Silver Ferns' opening game at the Commonwealth Games.
Several top players competed in Australia’s domestic competition this year and the continuing uncertainty was likely to see more of them head overseas next year.
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