Australian netball: Sponsorship boost will help Diamonds shine brighter

COACH Lisa Alexander says netball’s Diamonds have the backing to become one of Australia’s best-known sporting teams — male or female.

The Australia Diamonds are celebrating another windfall. Picture: Getty Images

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THEY have the game, history and runs on the board and now coach Lisa Alexander says the Diamonds have the backing to become one of Australia’s best known sporting teams — male or female.

For the first time the Diamonds have taken aboard a naming right sponsor as they plot their defence of the Commonwealth Game crown in 2018 and world title a year later, showing the increasing power and recognition of women’s sport.

AUSSIE DIAMONDS ULTIMATE GUIDE

Samsung Australia has extended its relationship with one of Australia’s most powerful women’s sports — and most successful national teams — after teaming with the Diamonds in 2016 with the Rethink Role Models campaign.

Diamonds head coach Lisa Alexander. Picture: Michael Klein

The campaign featured five top players and was designed to show the positive impact sport and good role models can have on lives.

Experts will work with Netball Australia and the Diamonds High Performance team to develop tools to help the Diamonds train better and review their performances using new technology such as Samsung Gear 360.

Alexander said the Diamonds will benefit both from the technology of the company and its reach to global audiences.

“We have always said we wanted to be as well known as the All Blacks and that’s part of this partnership,” Alexander said.

“Getting the Diamonds known in India with its population, particularly in Asia where the shops are everywhere.

“We want to be the best known sporting team, not just women’s team.”

The Diamond are currently in camp in Canberra preparing for the Quad series in August and the Constellation Cup in October.