Super Netball grand final to be sold to Perth under controversial Netball Australia plan
Netball Australia’s shaky financial position is believed to have prompted the unprecedented plan to sell off Super Netball grand final hosting rights to the highest bidder.
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Netball Australia’s shaky financial position is believed to have prompted the unprecedented plan to sell off Super Netball grand final hosting rights to the highest bidder, in a shock proposal shared with the players and coaches with just two rounds remaining before the end of the home-and away season.
And the winner is … Perth.
Netball Australia, which has suffered heavy losses during the past two Covid-afflicted seasons, but has had a fragile balance sheet for some time, first flagged the idea to the eight club chief executives in late April, with the final outcome advised on May 25.
The idea is that RAC Arena, the home court of the second-placed West Coast Fever, will therefore host the sixth Super Netball decider, regardless of the result of the major semi-final, which has determined the location of the finale in all but the past two SSN seasons — decided by necessity in the Queensland hub — since the first incarnation of the national league back in 1997.
It is understood that two other state governments were in discussions with Netball Australia before the choice was made to take the showpiece game to WA.
While Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan was not available for comment despite multiple approaches from CodeSports, it is believed that:
— the buy-the-grand-final deal will run for five years, without confirmation yet around whether it will rotate among the states, what the minimum offer would be and, should there be a shortfall, if NA would revert to the former performance-based system.
— the cash component of the deal is just $300,000, as part of an overall deal worth an estimated $650,000 gross that includes covering the venue charges, the costs of a Diamonds’ pre-Commonwealth Games camp, plus a guaranteed percentage of ticket sales and the return of some decal signage assets that the league can on-sell.
— the grand final will be switched from last year’s Saturday afternoon slot in Brisbane to 5pm, Perth time (7pm on the east coast), on Sunday, July 3.
— as a sweetener, prize money will be awarded to the competing teams for the first time, with the breakdown of the budgeted $125,000 between players and clubs still to be determined and the Australian Netball Players Association pushing for a far higher percentage than was offered initially.
— at a delayed briefing by Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan and Super Netball boss Adam Richardson for players, coaches and senior club officials that lasted for around 50 minutes on Tuesday night, concerns were expressed about the timing and process involved in the decision-making – especially considering that lack of consultation was one of the key criticisms following the surprise introduction of the Super Shot on the eve of the 2020 season.
— there is a general acceptance that there would potentially have been a far greater backlash had this been announced pre-season because, other than the top-placed Vixens (who can seal the minor premiership in the penultimate round), Fever is the only other team with a realistic chance of hosting the grand final.
— “Why now?” was one of the key clarifications sought by players, including ANPA president and Vixens’ goal defence Jo Weston, after an emotional email had been sent to the league’s collective playing group by CEO Kathryn Harby-Williams. ANPA officials could not be contacted for comment, but were believed to be preparing a statement denouncing the proposal.
Netball Victoria and Melbourne Vixens CEO Rosie King has revealed that she was among the majority of SSN team bosses who argued when the idea was first floated in April that a decision of this nature should not be made so late in the season, or without substantial collaboration.
“I think it’s particularly hard to cop at this time of the season; to have the goal posts moved so close to finals. That has certainly surprised the team,’’ King said.
“Many of the CEOs argued that a more thorough process leading into the 2023 season would bring the stakeholders along on the journey for potential changes next year; however, that wasn’t how it panned out.
“I think it would have been easier for everyone to embrace had we had time to consider the risks, the returns, and had greater transparency, rather than being informed of the outcome at the 11th hour.’’
While acknowledging the competitive advantage typically delivered by a “home” grand final, King added that the Vixens’ sole focus was on sealing the minor premiership this weekend and then winning the major semi in just over a fortnight.
“If we’re good enough to be in the grand final, we would go to Western Australia with a view that we can play anywhere, on any day, and beat any team. That would be what we’ll be working hard for on behalf of our members, fans, families, friends and sponsors,’’ King said.
“But it’s all supposition at the moment. There are probably three or four teams that are feeling the same as us.’’
Former Diamonds’ vice-captain and Vixens’ great Bianca Chatfield was another who was critical of both the planned change and the way it has been handled.
“For me, this decision would have been easier to swallow if there had been transparency around the fact that this process was happening,’’ she said.
“Obviously the Member Organisations knew what was going on behind the scenes, but why wasn’t it more public? And why is it only being announced to the playing group now, two weeks before finals?
“Maybe they were assuming Fever would be in the grand final, but that’s not so clear-cut now that they’ve lost a couple of games at home.’’
In some respects, the best-case scenario for the competition is that Fever is involved in any grand final in Perth, despite the potential injustice to a Vixens’ team that wins the major semi-final yet not the consequential prize of a home grand final.
The worst case is that West Coast falters on the eve of the big dance, and that the showpiece game is contested by two interstate teams before a half-empty stadium in the most remote city in the country, at short notice, in the middle of the school holidays when travel costs are high.
It’s both a gamble and hugely contentious, with Tuesday’s meeting having started with Richardson telling the group about a so-called “proposal”, that was clearly far more advanced than that, while others disputed the claim that a briefing about what already seemed to have been confirmed counted as consultation with a group seemingly resigned to their fate.
“It was a waste of time,’’ says one participant on the Zoom call, who got the clear message that there was no alternative but to fall in line, on the basis this was the best decision for the sport, which would benefit from the reinvestment, and that therefore everyone needed to support it.
“They were talking about how it was a brave and bold decision, but they couldn’t be bold and brave enough to say from the start that it was a done deal. They were saying this was about consultation and process, but it’s not.
“So just say it, mate, just say it. It’s done.’’
Originally published as Super Netball grand final to be sold to Perth under controversial Netball Australia plan
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