Significant Progress Made on Future of New Zealand’s Elite Domestic Netball Competition
Netball New Zealand has today announced significant progress towards securing the future of the country's elite domestic netball competition, signing a non-binding term sheet with investors Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams.
The term sheet sets out an intention to work towards the privatisation of the domestic competition from 2027. Work now begins on developing and signing a long form agreement in the near future.
The long form agreement would see the licence for the competition and competing teams held by the investors, with Netball New Zealand assuming a governance role on the board that will be established to govern the new league.
Netball New Zealand Chief Executive Jennah Wootten said the announcement gives the netball community clarity on the direction of travel after a lengthy period of uncertainty.
"We are pleased to announce that significant progress has been made towards securing the future of New Zealand's elite domestic netball competition," said Wootten.
"While there remains a lot of work to do, we can today confirm that we are advancing work on a model that will provide a meaningful professional competition and career pathway for players. This model will ensure that fans and our community will have teams to support, and that young people around the country will have athletes to look up to."
Wootten said the decision followed a thorough process involving many parties.
"After a great deal of careful consideration, including exploring every option available to us, the Board has reached the view that private investment is the right path forward.
"This has been done in consultation with the New Zealand Netball Players' Association, and the Zones. Netball New Zealand has also been working closely with the teams that we own.
"Private investment brings capital, commercial capability and partners committed to growing this competition and the sport around it," said Wootten.
"Netball has an incredibly passionate and loyal supporter base, with strong match attendances and growing participation. This is about giving that game the backing it deserves."
Wootten said the alignment with the investors had been central to the Board's thinking.
"Anna and Ali are passionate about sport, and passionate about the broader outcomes that sport delivers for women and girls in New Zealand. That alignment is extremely important to the Board.
"This is a partnership with people who understand what this competition means to New Zealand, and we are excited that they have chosen to back netball.”
Wootten also acknowledged the impact of recent years on players and the netball community.
"We know the wait has been difficult, particularly for players, as well as coaches, managers, support staff and all others who earn a living from their role with teams. But we had to get this step right. This is not a decision with short-term impacts, we are talking about a long-term commitment to the sport.
"We are glad to be able to give a clearer direction about the proposed trajectory of the domestic competition today.
"We know a number of players have made commitments overseas because we could not give them certainty any earlier. We understand why they made those decisions and the job now is to build a competition they want to come back to, and one that is compelling for the players here in New Zealand."
Investor Anna Mowbray said, “Netball is deeply personal to New Zealand, many young players who are playing today, are third or even fourth generation Kiwi netballers. We know there’s some incredible talent in the sport and New Zealand has a legacy of producing the best, and most passionate, netball players in the world.
“We want every young player who steps onto a court in New Zealand to be able to see a straight line from there to the very top of the world game. We intend to build that through an invigorated domestic competition.
“Our goal is to provide the backing to make New Zealand the undisputed home of world netball, where the Silver Ferns command the same reverence as the All Blacks, and every girl who picks up a ball believes she can get there.”
New Zealand Netball Players' Association General Manager Pippa Moore said; “This is a bold but necessary step for the future of netball in New Zealand, and the time is right to embrace a new approach that can bring greater investment, ambition and energy into the game.
“Most importantly, it offers a credible pathway towards a meaningful professional competition at home - one that gives our best players a reason to build their careers here and ensures the next generation can aspire to play at the highest level in their own country.”
Netball South, Netball Central and Netball Northern have welcomed the decision, issuing a joint statement:
"Building on the strong netball legacy our Zones have, Netball South, Netball Central and Netball Northern (Steel, Pulse and Mystics respectively) are looking forward to working together with the investors to ensure that the new privatised league in 2027 and beyond is successful.”
Netball New Zealand will assist in facilitation as the Zones, together with the management committees of the Stars,Tactix and Magic teams, connect and engage with the investors.
Netball New Zealand has worked collaboratively with the investors on a minimum five-team requirement for 2027. Beyond that, the competition format, team structure and season dates would be confirmed by the investors.
Player terms would be determined through collective bargaining with the New Zealand Netball Players' Association.
Broadcast arrangements for the elite domestic competition from 2027 would sit with the investors with support from Netball New Zealand.
Netball New Zealand remains the national governing body for netball in New Zealand and continues to be responsible for the Silver Ferns, national selection, the elite player pathway and community netball.
"Our role as kaitiaki and guardians of this sport is unchanged, and we look forward to progressing the agreement with our new partners as we collectively work to further grow the game," said Wootten.
Netball remains New Zealand's most played sport for women and girls, with around 150,000 registered members across 83 netball centres.
The Silver Ferns are the reigning Commonwealth Games champions, having won gold in Glasgow in August 2026, and will contest the Netball World Cup in Sydney in 2027.