Latest news with #JennieWyllie
RNZ News
12 hours ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Netball NZ boss admits new broadcast plan 'bit of a risk'
Netball New Zealand boss Jennie Wyllie. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2018 Netball New Zealand boss Jennie Wyllie admits that they are taking a calculated risk with their new broadcast agreement. Following months of negotiations, the national body has finally secured a broadcast deal for next year's ANZ Premiership. Sky Sport had been the major broadcast partner since 2008, but the national body is going back to TVNZ - marking the return of the sport on free-to-air television. RNZ understands that Sky TVs offer was substantially less than any of its previous deals with Netball New Zealand. How much TVNZ are actually paying for the rights, if any, is not being disclosed and it seems inevitable that players will have to take pay cuts next year. TVNZ has been in cost-saving mode but Netball NZ will be hoping that a bigger TV audience will draw more commercial revenue to make up for a massive shortfall in broadcast revenue. Chief executive Jennie Wyllie told Morning Report that they were excited to bring netball back to all of New Zealand, even if it meant they had to fork out some money for it. "Netball New Zealand is investing in it as we transition away from our traditional broadcast market," Wyllie said. "Our commercial partners are looking for reach and I think the really interesting value proposition that we have is a thriving participation base and increasingly partners are looking for that end to end connection, that supports their brand. Wyllie said the women's sporting landscape was tough and it was worth taking a gamble. "We do need to step into the new and different and it is a bit of a risk but netball has to innovate. We don't have big offshore partners that support or an international body that can allow us to do that with a safety net so this is about us giving that a crack." Questions remain over whether the new deal will attract enough sponsorship to save players from pay cuts. They are in the middle of collective contract negotiations. "We don't want our women sportspeople to go backwards, but we are working really really hard in this new environment to make sure that netball remains a viable choice for them. There will be some different economics but that is the reality for entire industries at the moment." Wyllie pointed out that a lot of the players already studied or had part-time jobs. "This is only a 10-week competition so a lot of our 60 athletes, they need to study already, they've got part-time jobs ...so that won't be different. That is the reality of what it is to be in a female sporting environment. "But we are working hard to make sure that the impacts are not greatly felt across the system and that they can share in any reward that we are able to realise." Netball New Zealand confirmed to RNZ that the feeder league, which sits below the ANZ Premiership will continue but there are no details on what form it will take. The six-strong team National Netball League (NNL) was launched in 2016 and is seen as an important development pathway for emerging talent. This year eight NNL games were broadcast live on Sky Sports. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
a day ago
- Sport
- Scoop
ANZ Premiership Returns in 2026 to TVNZ
Get ready for a thrilling return to the court – with the ANZ Premiership competition airing exclusively on TVNZ in 2026. Netball New Zealand and TVNZ have today announced a partnership that will see the domestic season shown across TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+ next year. The 2026 season will showcase the best of New Zealand's domestic netball teams, with elite athletes, epic clashes, and high-stakes match ups broadcast to audiences nationwide. The comprehensive coverage will build on TVNZ's match-of-the-week offering, this year. TVNZ's expert commentary, in-depth analysis, and exclusive courtside access will continue to be a key feature of the expanded partnership. TVNZ is committed to delivering high-quality local sport to New Zealanders and showcasing women's sport across the motu. TVNZ's Head of Sports, Events and Partnerships, Melodie Robinson, said: 'Netball is one of New Zealand's most popular codes and we're excited to have the national domestic competition with TVNZ. Our Netballers are at the top of their game, they're powerful wāhine toa, and we're thrilled to be connecting tamariki with the heroes who inspire them, bringing the excitement straight into their homes each weekend.' Netball New Zealand Chief Executive Jennie Wyllie has welcomed the return of netball to free-to-air television, calling it a fantastic outcome for fans of a sport that continues to thrive across the country. 'Following a season where we've seen, strong broadcast numbers, fantastic match attendances and unprecedented global viewership, it's exciting to now have the opportunity for even more New Zealanders to enjoy the game on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+. Netball is played and loved by hundreds of thousands across Aotearoa, and this move will help bring the sport closer to communities nationwide.' With the popular rule innovations introduced this year, including the captain's timeout and the game changing two-point shot set to remain, viewers can look forward to even more thrilling netball action across Saturdays and Sundays when the competition returns in April. The 2026 ANZ Premiership will follow the two-round format, played between the six domestic teams across the motu before the Finals Series. There will be 30 round robin matches and two finals over a 12-week period.
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
ANZ Premiership final: Live updates as the Northern Mystics host the Mainland Tactix at Trusts Arena
The Northern Mystics and Mainland Tactix will meet for a third time this season in front of a sold-out Trusts Arena crowd to determine the 2025 ANZ Premiership title. Netball NZ update eligibility laws, opens door for overseas-based Silver Ferns The Netball New Zealand (NNZ) board has voted to update the eligibility criteria for national selection, allowing players based overseas to be available for the Silver Ferns. After reviewing the criteria, NNZ has introduced a formal exemption process to adapt to the changing face of the sport. Players presently choose between higher-paying opportunities overseas, or remaining in Aotearoa – where they can be eligible for the Silver Ferns. The new criteria will come into effect before this year's international netball season, with what the national organisation has described as 'clear guidelines and assessment measures for any exemption applications'. 'We've listened to the game and believe this is a positive step forward,' said NNZ board chair Matt Whineray. 'This update strikes a balance between flexibility and fairness, acknowledging the increasingly global nature of netball while continuing to protect the integrity of our domestic competitions and the mana of the Silver Ferns.' Players wanting to remain eligible for national selection while based overseas will need to go through a formal process, although the updated criteria has not been made available. 'Ultimately, the purpose of this proposed process is to ensure that all exemption requests are evaluated fairly, consistently, and transparently,' said NNZ chief executive Jennie Wyllie. 'It safeguards the athlete through a structured and transparent approach, while upholding the broader interests of Netball New Zealand, the Silver Ferns, and the ANZ Premiership competition.' NNZ has said the updated criteria will not be made public, adding to what has been a murky saga regarding overseas players' availability. Earlier this year, Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio told Newstalk ZB that players must have 100 test caps to be eligible for an exemption to play offshore and still play in international fixtures. Australian-based Grace Nweke confirmed the same to Fox Sports - saying it was Netball NZ's 'black and white' rule. However, a spokesperson for the national body has clarified no such 100-test rule exists, and each case was at the board's discretion. In the time since, multiple players have expressed to Newstalk ZB that they have been forced to choose between overseas offers – largely out of Australia – and remaining in NZ and the ANZ Premiership.
RNZ News
19-06-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Silver Ferns star Grace Nweke awaits Netball NZ eligibility decision
Grace Nweke can't play for the Silver Ferns, after choosing to contest the Aussie Super Netball competition. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Netball NZ says it will soon decide on any changes to its eligibility policy, so players can weigh up their options for 2026. That decision can't come soon enough for star shooter Grace Nweke, whose decision to play in the Australian competition ruled her out of playing for the Silver Ferns this year. Chief executive Jennie Wyllie said the NNZ board was reviewing the policy. "That's something that goes hand in hand with a lot of our moving parts at the moment, but it's under consideration and we've made good progress on a direction of travel there," she said. "Still a bit too early to talk to that, we have a lot of stakeholders that we need to work with in the first instance." Time is of the essence, with just four rounds left in both the Australia's Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) and the ANZ Premiership regular seasons. Wyllie said any decision made by the board on eligibility rules would be timely enough for players to make decisions about next year. "Our board understand that, to give our players certainty for the coming year across our system, we need to be able to do this before we go into player contracting, post ANZ Premiership. "The board are taking it under consideration, the timeframes will be conducive to allow clarity for everyone that needs it, when they are making contracting decisions for 2026." Grace Nweke needs to know her options for 2026. Photo: Jason McCawley / Getty Images Nweke said any change could have a big impact on her decision-making and she needed to know where she stood. "Absolutely, there's so many cards on the table in terms of possibilities and options and opportunities, so being able to make an informed decision has been the biggest thing for me," Nweke said. "Since I made my informed decision around this time last year to play here, I haven't really had any more information about the future, so just waiting to know what my options are and what I guess the implications of option A, B, C, D would look like for me is kind of key." The current policy is designed to encourage the country's top netballers to play in the New Zealand league, so it remains strong. If the criteria does not change and Nweke opts to stay in Australia, she would miss next year's Commonwealth Games. The 23-year-old will have to make a decision soon. "It's getting about that time where you think about what you're doing the following season, so definitely looking forward to hearing whatever comes out of Netball New Zealand." Typically, clubs can already re-sign current contracted players in the SSN, before a contracting window opens after the Grand Final to approach players from other clubs. New Zealand is similar, with the added complication that Netball NZ is still finalising a broadcast deal - its current Sky agreement is expiring at the end of the year. The bargaining process for a new 2026 collective agreement between the Players' Association and Netball New Zealand will be delayed, until the national body reaches an agreement on broadcast rights. NNZ has already confirmed that a six-team domestic competition will continue in 2026. "It will be visible to our fans, but we're just working through that detail," Wyllie said. Nweke said she could feel the growth she had made since joining SSN, and had learnt a lot from playing against a range of international defenders from Jamaica, England and Australia. "Each week, teams are working on ways to combat our attacking unit, so there are moments where I genuinely feel quite stumped or really challenged, and I go to the bench, and ask for coaching and advice. The opportunity to learn in the moment has been awesome." Casey Kopua has come out of retirement to fulfill her Super Netball ambition. Photo: Brendon Thorne Silver Fern centurion Casey Kopua made a shock return to netball, when she came out of retirement three weeks ago to help the injury-depleted Giants, halfway through the SSN season. Kopua, 40, retired from elite netball, after helping the Silver Ferns win the 2019 Netball World Cup, but had always wanted to play in the SSN. She will mark Nweke when her side plays the Swifts on Sunday and said she could understand the appeal for players who wanted to test themselves across the Tasman. Kopua said she missed the former trans-Tasman competition, when it ended after the 2016 season. "I was a big advocate for that to carry on," she said. "I loved coming up against the Aussies, and you could test yourself and see where you were at. "Also, I guess, it kept you at that international level, so when you played them internationally, it wasn't so much of a shock. I was all for that, playing them week in and week out." The eligibility issue first came to the forefront when teammate Laura Langman wanted to play in Australia. She was eventually given an exemption and captained the Silver Ferns to the 2019 World Cup victory. While she could see both sides of the debate, Kopua said playing in the SSN could only be a good thing for Nweke's game. "She's going to be learning a whole lot more skills and tools that she can bring back. If it makes her a better person and a better player, then why not? "She's an outstanding player and I think that New Zealand Netball need her." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
18-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Winning Move: WM New Zealand Announced As Naming Rights Partner Of International Netball Series
Netball New Zealand (NNZ) is proud to announce a landmark partnership with WM New Zealand who will become the naming rights partner of the International Netball Series – encompassing both the Taini Jamison Trophy and the New Zealand played Constellation Cup matches. The multi-year agreement marks a significant step forward for the sport, with WM New Zealand's support helping to elevate the profile of international netball matches and provide greater opportunities to engage fans across Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond. Under the new partnership, the Series will be known as the WM New Zealand Netball Series, where the Silver Ferns will compete this year against South Africa for the Taini Jamison Trophy and play the Australian Diamonds to compete for the Constellation Cup. Netball New Zealand Chief Executive Jennie Wyllie said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to excellence, community impact and the growth of women's sport. 'We are delighted to welcome WM New Zealand as our naming rights partner for our International Netball Series,' Wyllie said. 'This partnership allows us to continue building on the proud legacy of both the Taini Jamison Trophy and the Constellation Cup, showcasing the Silver Ferns' winning moves while inspiring the next generation of athletes and fans. WM New Zealand's values align strongly with our own, and we're excited about what we can achieve together.' The International Netball Series has long been a highlight on the global calendar, drawing some of the sport's fiercest international rivalries. The addition of WM New Zealand's backing signals renewed energy and ambition for netball at the highest level. WM New Zealand Managing Director Evan Maehl said the company was proud to stand alongside Netball NZ as naming rights partner. 'WM New Zealand is honoured to partner with Netball New Zealand in supporting the pinnacle of international netball in Aotearoa,' Maehl said. 'We believe in championing excellence, inclusion and community – values that are deeply embedded in this partnership. Our commitment to innovation and kaitiakitangi drives everything we do, and now we're excited to bring that same dedication to supporting elite netball. We're excited to support the Silver Ferns and help bring fans closer to the game they love through the WM International Netball Series.' Tickets for the WM International Netball Series go on public sale 12.00pm today.
