Netball TV deal reportedly comes at huge cost for NNZ
Domestic netball may be returning to free-to-air television, but it has come at a huge cost to Netball New Zealand.
It is understood Netball New Zealand is paying TVNZ hundreds of thousands of dollars for championship games to be shown on the state broadcaster next year
Netball New Zealand CEO Jennie Wyllie would not confirm or deny the arrangement, which is believed to be costing between $600,000 and $700,000.
"I do not know what that figure is relating to, but we certainly aren't going to discuss any commercial arrangements we have in place."
Netball New Zealand admitted to investing in production costs, despite the deal for next year's Silver Ferns games still under negotiation, and nothing in place for 2027.
"Whilst it might set a precedent it gives us a lot of control over the product and how we give exposure to our partners within the broadcast product," Wyllie said.
It was hoped sponsorship revenue would be boosted by the increased visibility of being on free-to-air television.
The players' collective employment agreement was still being finalised, and New Zealand Netball Players Association executive manager Steph Bond could not confirm whether wages would drop, but said the agreement would "look different."
"That's probably all really that we can say right now."
Wyllie was resigned to the fact netball could no longer rely on big money offers from TV networks to fill the coffers.
"The whole broadcast and media landscape has changed. It's not what it was the last time around when everyone locked in their deals."
That had led to them looking elsewhere, including to the government.
"Increasingly, this is a space where New Zealand On Air needs to consider that production of New Zealand made content and the storytelling that you see in a sports game is no different to a Shortland Street, is no different to some of the diverse projects that are funded under New Zealand On Air, so I think that landscape will and should change."
While it could not be done this year due to the Commonwealth Games, Bond said Players Association wanted to see the ANZ Premiership shifted so it did not clash with the Australian domestic competition.
"We have put on the table for the last year or so that moving the competition would obviously allow players to play across the ditch, but also in this competition, which is only going to be great for the sport and great for players, because in the shortened time they have to make a living from the sport they have more ability to do that by playing in more competitions."
But the market remained difficult for women's sport
"We're not a rugby and a cricket with a men's game cross subsidising us, we don't have an India and we don't have FIFA, we don't have a World Rugby so this is just us trying to work through it for ourselves," Wyllie said.
TVNZ declined to comment, citing commercial sensitivity.
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