Netball New Zealand abandons private league proposal

Netball New Zealand has decided to halt plans to privatize its elite domestic competition after negotiations with investors Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams failed to reach an agreement. The decision, made during a board meeting on Wednesday, follows eight weeks of discussions after a term sheet had been signed earlier this year.

Netball NZ Chief Executive Jennah Wootten stated that while both parties entered negotiations with a genuine ambition to strengthen the sport, the discussions eventually shifted away from the objectives and principles originally outlined in the term sheet. The organization noted that the decision was not made lightly and expressed recognition that the news would be unsettling for players and support staff.

The collapse of these talks leaves the future of New Zealand’s premier netball competition for 2027 uncertain. The proposed private franchise league was intended to provide much-needed investment for a competition that Netball New Zealand could no longer afford to run in its current form.