ANZ Premiership benefits from Sport NZ’s professional sport package

The ANZ Premiership has been given significant support through Sport NZ’s announcement of $4.6 million to provide immediate financial relief to help professional sport clubs remain viable and assist with costs required to get their competitions back up and running.

Netball New Zealand will receive $2.2 million to support the running of the ANZ Premiership Netball League and its teams.

The Wellington Phoenix will receive $950,000 and Vodafone Warriors $200,000, while $1.25 million will go to New Zealand Rugby for its five Super Rugby teams.

Sport NZ has also engaged with other teams and sports, including the New Zealand Breakers and Auckland Tuatara, but as these teams are currently out of season they have not yet been impacted as significantly as those in season when the COVID-19 crisis hit.

“Professional sport franchises do not typically receive government investment, but in the Sport Recovery Package we have an opportunity to provide relief to other organisations who are also critical to our system,” said Sport NZ CEO Peter Miskimmin.

“We know they have exhausted their financial options and that they make such a valuable contribution to our sector and national and regional economies.”

Netball New Zealand Chief Executive Jennie Wyllie welcomed the announcement.

“Netball New Zealand is incredibly appreciative of the government’s financial support of the ANZ Premiership Netball League and teams in 2020. Like all businesses, COVID-19 has had a serious impact on netball in New Zealand, both at community and elite level,” she said.

“Having government support at this time means we can together get another part of the economic sector up and running quickly.”

The $4.6 million announced is the only portion of the $265 million Sport Recovery Package that can be released by Sport NZ prior to 1 July.

The balance of the first response phase of the $265 million Sport Recovery Package (approximately $78 million) will be focused primarily on community, regional and national level bodies.

Sport NZ is already providing immediate relief to grassroots sport through its $15 million Community Resilience Fund.

Applications for this remain open through the network of 14 regional sports trusts, with $1,000 available for clubs and $40,000 for regional bodies.