Netball Australia sponsorship crisis: Gina Rinehart withdraws multimillion-dollar deal
The Diamonds may be ranked No.1 in the world, but they exist in a financially fragile environment, after Hancock Prospecting walked out on a $15m deal with Netball Australia.
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Netball Australia’s relationship with its players is likely to need major surgery before another benefactor is found, with Hancock Prospecting citing the sport’s “disunity problems” as a major reason for walking away from its proposed $15 million partnership.
Hancock tore up its proposed four-year partnership with the Diamonds and underpinning high performance programs “effective immediately” on Saturday after arguing the company — and its majority-owned iron ore outfit Roy Hill, which withdrew from its deal with Super Netball premiers West Coast Fever — had been unaware of “the complexity of existing issues between Netball Australia and the Players Association,” a statement released by the company said.
“This includes the Players Association’s endeavours to gain a very substantial increase in wages during a time the sport is reeling financially and unable to provide such an increase.”
If the relationship between head office and the Australian Netball Players’ Association (ANPA) was ailing before, it was on life support by the time Hancock released its statement on Saturday.
Losing the Hancock deal is a major blow to netball.
The Diamonds may be ranked No.1 in the world and hold the Commonwealth Games gold medal but they exist in a financially fragile environment.
The players are realists and understand they need sponsors to survive.
Environmental concerns and other protests weren’t part of the Diamonds’ issue with the prospective Hancock partnership.
This was no go woke and go broke story.
It was about a teammate and why she mattered.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
When Netball Australia announced its Declaration of Commitment two years ago, it made a public vow to listen, learn and change by engaging with First Nations people.
The Declaration, signed by a coalition of 20 of netball’s peak organisations including NA, Super Netball and its clubs and the Australian Netball Players Association (ANPA) was sparked by the furore that followed the 2020 Indigenous round, when the competition’s only First Nations player did not play a single minute of her team’s game.
It wasn’t just that Jemma Mi Mi didn’t hit the court for the Queensland Firebirds but that she’d been leaned on heavily to promote the round before being left red-faced on the sidelines.
Two years down the track though, had anything changed?
NA and the Diamonds were in dispute over wearing the Hancock logo on their dresses for the three-Test series against England starting next week.
While some, including former Diamonds captain Sharni Norder have made their environmental concerns known about aligning with a mining company, it is the discomfort of First Nations squad member Donnell Wallam that is at the crux of the standoff.
“The singular issue of concern to the players was one of support for our only Indigenous team member,” Diamonds players said in a statement on Saturday following Hancock’s withdrawal.
“We are fully committed to the Diamonds’ Sisters in Arms legacy and the values this represents, alongside Australian Netball’s Declaration of Commitment.”
When Wallam joins the Diamonds in camp on Monday, she will finally be able to switch her focus fully to netball.
The Noongar woman, who grew up in Harvey, a small farming town about two hours’ drive south of Perth, will become just the third First Nations player to represent the Diamonds if she makes her debut in one of the three Tests against the Roses as expected.
It should be the crowning moment of an incredible rise for the talented goal shooter, who was a travelling reserve with the Commonwealth Games team earlier this year after her maiden Super Netball season.
But for the past week, Wallam has felt like a pariah following revelations she held a conscientious objection to wearing the Hancock Prospecting logo on her dress.
Wallam raised her concerns about comments made by company founder Lang Hancock in 1984, privately with ANPA officials, who looked into seeking an exemption on her behalf.
But her Diamonds teammates were not having a bar of her lone stand.
Embracing the Australian team’s Sisters in Arms mantra, they vowed not to let Wallam run out for her debut in a different strip.
One in, all in.
CONFUSION REIGNS
Financially fragile Netball Australia trumpeted its multimillion-dollar deal with Hancock Prospecting after the company headed by Australia’s richest woman threw it a lifeline with a sponsorship worth a $15 million over four years.
“The Hancock Prospecting logo will feature on the Diamonds’ uniforms when they take on New Zealand in the 12th Constellation Cup this October, before hosting the Diamonds versus England Roses Series,” NA said in a statement on September 29 announcing the partnership.
Only it hasn’t.
Not for the first three Tests against the Silver Ferns and it wasn’t going to be worn in Sunday’s final match of the Constellation Cup on the Gold Coast even if the sponsorship deal had not collapsed.
Reports of a player boycott of new strip had to be refuted by new NA chair Wendy Archer less than 24 hours after the organisation announced her appointment as a replacement for Marina Go last week.
The players had agreed to wear the new dress for the Constellation Cup — a tournament for which Wallam was not selected — while seeking an exemption for the series against the Roses.
But confusion reigned over which dress the players would run out in for the first match in Auckland.
As late as two hours before the match, phone calls flew back and forth across the Tasman, between players, NA and ANPA officials as the mess was sorted out.
Eventually, they took the court in the old strip, only to experience a shambolic start to the match, with their 11-goal deficit at the first break killing any chance of a game one win.
WHO’S CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE?
The Diamonds in camp have been under enormous pressure to back the Hancock deal.
Initial reports the players had “boycotted” the new dress led to intense criticism of the team with commentators and many on social media attacking players as selfish and shortsighted.
Radio and television talk show hosts lined up to slam the ungrateful players, perpetuating the narrative they had refused to wear the new livery.
Desperate to turn the tide, at least one player posted a message to social media “on behalf of the Diamonds squad and our leadership group” saying NA was aware the players had been prepared to wear the Hancock logo throughout the Constellation Cup.
They were asked to delete the post.
Behind the scenes, the players were attempting to nut out a compromise.
On-court decals, instead of logos on the uniform had been offered for the Roses series and there were plenty of “robust” conversations between the players and management.
Under pressure from their sponsors, NA last week released a statement underlining their support for the deal.
“Netball Australia has reinforced its support of its groundbreaking partnership with Hancock Prospecting,” the statement said.
“The investment underpins our Australian Diamonds program for future success and enables Netball Australia to build and grow our great game at a community and grassroots level.”
It was almost identical to statements released by Volleyball Australia, Rowing Australia, Swimming Queensland, and Super Netball Club West Coast Fever, who are sponsored by the Hancock majority-owned iron ore company Roy Hill.
CAPTAIN SPEAKS
Diamonds captain Liz Watson addressed the media in Melbourne on Tuesday, saying the team understood the investment being offered by Rinehart through Hancock Prospecting.
“There’s just been further discussions with Netball Australia, (Hancock) and the players (about) when we’re going to wear the dress. I’m confident it is going to resolve really soon,” Watson said.
“The girls know that this is a really big investment in our sport and it’s going to do amazing things for our high performance program. So we appreciate that.”
The comments were perceived in some sections as abandoning Wallam but Watson remains - then and now — fully supportive of the goaler and said players took the matters of legacy, social conscious and social responsibility seriously.
“I think we just need to align Netball Australia with our values,” she said.
“As a playing group we want to leave a legacy behind … I feel like it’s just having open conversations with them. And I know that they’re open to do that with us as well.”
WHERE’S THE CEO?
The missing voice until things went permanently south on Saturday was that of NA boss Kelly Ryan.
The CEO carries the burden of turning the organisation’s finances around after losses of $7.2 million over the past two years and debts of about $4 million.
And that burden is only going to be heavier following Hancock’s withdrawal.
Having rejected a private equity offer for the Super Netball competition and backing her sport to turn itself around, Ryan needed the Hancock deal to remain on the table.
Several sources have criticised Ryan’s lack of consultation with the playing group, especially after commitments were made to the playing group following the Super Netball grand final sell-off.
She reportedly pushed for Wallam to meet with Hancock representatives despite being asked to back off ahead of the shooter’s debut.
In an interview before the Hancock deal was announced but when it was in the works, Ryan acknowledged she had copped flak for some decisions.
But she was adamant the sport was able to turn things around and wanted to be part of that.
“That’s the role of leadership really, you’re not in it to make friends,” Ryan said.
“It’s incredibly lonely at times. But I fundamentally believe that netball is an sport and I just want to do my bit to leave it in a much better shape than I found it in.
“It’s already in fabulous shape anyway. So it’s about creating change and change is not easy - people sometimes can’t reconcile it but it all comes from the place of just making sure that netball is actually appreciated the way that it should be.”
WHERE TO NOW?
It’s clear plenty needs to be dissected after the Constellation Cup and Roses series are won and done.
The Hancock deal is off the table but netball needs and deserves strong sponsors.
With the players wanting a revenue share model moving forward, any deal that grows the pie will clearly benefit them, but the split with Hancock and comments from the company highlighting the messy relationship between NA and ANPA, could scare potential saviours off.
Relationships within the sport will need significant repair, with many feeling betrayed by “the other side” in recent negotiations.
Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich is adamant her group is not fractured — and that may be the case — but the rapport between players and head office and NA and ANPA has definitely frayed.
The great shame is that the issue has overshadowed the Diamonds’ homecoming after almost three years on the road due to the pandemic.
For Wallam too, the time to deal with sponsors and the politics of the sport is not now.
It’s been more than 20 years since an Indigenous player has donned a gold dress and anyone not directly involved in her role on court needs to allow her space to be in the best mindset she can be to do her job, surrounded by those that have her back.
Players hit back after Rinehart tears up $15m deal
Diamonds players say their “singular issue of concern” with the Hancock Prospecting partnership was support for the team’s only Indigenous member and to support Australian Netball’s Declaration of Commitment.
The players moved to clarify “misconceptions” about the players’ position in the wake of Hancock withdrawing from its proposed $15 million partnership with Netball Australia on Saturday, “effective immediately”.
“We are disappointed to learn that Hancock Prospecting has withdrawn their
sponsorship offer,” the Diamonds said in a statement.
“As Netball Australia has emphasised, these funds go towards the Diamonds high performance and underpinning programs, so it is we, the players, who have the most to lose.
“It is important however, to clear up some misconceptions about the players’ position.
“Reports of a protest on the part of the players, on environmental grounds and a split
within the playing group are incorrect.
“The singular issue of concern to the players was one of support for our only Indigenous team member.
“We are fully committed to the Diamonds’ Sisters in Arms legacy and the values this represents, alongside Australian Netball’s Declaration of Commitment.”
Donnell Wallam is set to become just the third First Nations Diamond if, as expected, she makes her debut in the three-Test series against England that starts next week.
Through the Australian Netball Players Association (ANPA), Wallam had sought a personal exemption from wearing the Hancock Prospecting logo on her dress on the grounds of conscientious objection.
But when her teammates discovered the plan, they baulked at their teammate being treated differently, especially on debut.
The Queensland Firebirds shooter and proud Noongar woman is not part of the squad for the Constellation Cup though and players had not refused to wear the Hancock logo during the series against New Zealand, which finishes on the Gold Coast on Sunday.
“The players acknowledge that the support of our commercial partners is critical to the financial sustainability of the sport,” the Diamonds said.
“We are hopeful that players are given the opportunity to raise any sensitivities or concerns about sponsorships in a more proactive way going forward so that we can work through them in a collaborative, respectful and inclusive way before agreements are concluded.”
Netball Australia announced its Declaration of Commitment two years ago, making a public vow to listen, learn and change by engaging with First Nations people and canvass their experiences within the sport.
The Declaration, signed by a coalition of 20 of netball’s peak organisations including NA, Super Netball and its clubs, member organisations and ANPA was sparked by the furore that followed the 2020 Indigenous round, when the competition’s only First Nations player did not play a single minute of her team’s game.
It wasn’t just that Jemma Mi Mi didn’t hit the court for the Queensland Firebirds but that she’d been leaned on heavily to promote the round before being left red-faced on the sidelines.
Two years down the track, it’s difficult to see that much has changed, with Wallam a pariah in some circles, especially following the Hancock split.
While Hancock’s statement talked about the suitability of sport as a vehicle for social issues, its major issue was with the tempestuous relationship between NA and ANPA.
Netball responds after Rinehart rips up $15m deal
Netball Australia has responded to Gina Rinehart’s decision to withdraw her multimillion-dollar funding of the sport by vowing to work around the clock to secure its future.
Hancock Prospecting sensationally withdrew its $15 million funding offer and majority-owned iron ore company Roy Hill’s support of Netball WA and Super Netball premiers West Coast Fever on Saturday.
The organisations have instead stepped in with four-month deals to tide netball over until new partners can be found.
But NA’s relationship with its players is likely to need major surgery before another benefactor is found, with Hancock saying it did not want to “add to Netball’s disunity problems” and had withdrawn from its proposed partnership “effective immediately”.
“Hancock and Roy Hill were not made aware prior to the proposed partnerships of the complexity of existing issues between Netball Australia and the Players Association,” a statement released by the company said.
“This includes the Players Association’s endeavours to gain a very substantial increase in wages during a time the sport is reeling financially and unable to provide such an increase.
“Hancock’s proposed sponsorship would have enabled a generous increase in wages for the players, which would not have otherwise been possible given netball’s financial situation.
“Hancock and similarly Roy Hill embarked on these proposed partnerships in good faith and on the basis of representations and its resulting understanding that Netball Australia and the sport’s key stakeholder groups including the Australian Diamonds, were united in their support of one of West Australia’s pre-eminent mining companies becoming their principal sponsor.”
The statement said Hancock had not insisted its name be worn on the Diamonds dress during the Constellation Cup, while the company was advised the players had no concerns wearing the logo during the series.
It begs the question why NA officials made the eleventh-hour decision to have Diamonds players wear their old strip in the opening game of the series in Auckland rather than the Hancock-branded dress.
NA chair Wendy Archer — who has only been in the job since Marina Go stood down in a planned move at a board meeting eight days ago — said the decision was disappointing but the organisation understood Hancock Prospecting’s decision.
“We are grateful that Hancock Prospecting continued to stand by our sport throughout the recent turbulence and we regret the impact this has had on the company,” Archer said.
“This has been a challenging period for all involved and while every effort has been made from all parties to resolve the issues surrounding the sensitivities of the partnership, unfortunately we have not been able to achieve a mutually satisfactory outcome.”
Archer thanked Hancock Prospecting for its agreement to provide interim support “while Netball Australia reassesses its funding options”.
NA chief executive Kelly Ryan said: “Hancock Prospecting’s investment recognised the value and contribution of our national team and their role as the world’s number one netball team”. “We acknowledge the difficulties and impact of recent discussions and are disappointed to see them withdraw the partnership,” Ryan said.
“This is a loss for our whole sport, from grassroots through to the elite program.
“Sadly, this is evident with the decision to also withdraw financial support for Netball WA and the West Coast Fever.
“Netball Australia is a strong, resilient organisation and we will continue working around the clock to secure the future of the sport and explore all opportunities that are available.”
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