The Netball Australia national body has said it is looking to secure a A$10 million ($6.45 million) loan facility as part of its new Made in Netball growth strategy.
That 10-year plan, which aims to attract 2 million participants across the country by 2035, hinges upon a new wave of free-to-air distribution for the country’s top-flight Super Netball league when media rights negotiations come around once again.
This could spell trouble for incumbent partner Foxtel, the country’s pay-TV heavyweight, which may need to split rights, sub-license them, or lose out altogether, as reach is put before fiscal growth.
Netball Australia chair Liz Ellis said: “Foxtel has been a fantastic partner for us, and they’ve invested enormously in our game... They’re an important part of the mix, but just having that reach is pretty critical.”
Currently, Foxtel holds the rights to all Super Netball fixtures, with two games per round airing for free on the Kayo Sports streaming service, which also carries Australian national team games.
That broadcast contract began in 2022 and will run through 2026, but in recent years, the streaming service DAZN (which acquired Foxtel at the beginning of the year) has shown a willingness to bolster its free-to-air content offering, and similarly has spent heavily on Foxtel’s rights portfolio, most notably with a “record-breaking” Supercars deal.
This means that Foxtel, with DAZN now in charge, could seek to maintain its Netball Australia relationship under reformatted terms, so as not to lose a foothold in the market, especially important with the tentpole 2027 Netball World Cup to be hosted in Australia, and potential super Netball expansion on the cards also.
In the past, commercial broadcaster Nine Network also held Super Netball rights, and could return to the sport if free-to-air is indeed prioritized.
That A$10 million private investment is also an important factor in preserving Netball Australia’s growth aims, with the governing body having to financially support six of the eight Super Netball teams, while balancing its sponsorship portfolio in a crowded Australian sports market.
Ellis also said that the body has engaged in talks with the aim of securing the sport’s place at the 2032 Olympic Games, which will be held in Brisbane.
Netball Australia chief executive Stacey West added on the Made in Netball plan: “We want to elevate participation, strengthen our high-performance system, engage more fans, and build a stronger commercial foundation to future-proof the sport.
“But we cannot do it all at once. This 10-year plan allows us to take a structured, strategic approach, ensuring we make the right moves at the right time while staying true to our long-term vision.
“This strategy is not just a plan - it’s a promise to future generations. Let’s build the next century of netball, together."
