Revealed: Does Gold Coast Team Girls Cup mean Super Netball expansion time?
The CEO of Netball Australia has revealed whether the Gold Coast hosting the Super Netball’s Team Girls Cup could increase the region’s bid for a national league team.
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Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan has revealed whether the Gold Coast hosting the Super Netball’s Team Girls Cup could increase the region’s bid for a national league team.
Despite ongoing conversations around the Gold Coast Titan’s desire to join the Super Netball, Ryan confirmed on Thursday there was no link between the preseason tournament and an expansion on the coast.
Instead, Ryan said the decision was based around sharing content around Australia to reach new audiences.
“The Gold Coast was chosen because (Netball Australia) have a strong appetite to take our content to as many parts of the country as we possibly can,” Ryan said.
“And we recognized we hadn’t had content on the gold coast for a little while so we thought it was a good opportunity to reengage with that community.
“Where we place content is irrelevant to expansion opportunity for Super Netball down the line.
“It really is just part of our strategy to take netball to as many parts of the country as we can.”
But Ryan did reveal metrics around ticket sales and whether a new team could “commercliase itself” would come into overall expansion chats.
“There would be number of factors that would be into expansion conversations … but naturally if those types of metrics would be important, the ability for a team to drag a crowd, the ability for a team to commersialise itself would be important metrics for any expansion opportunity.
“This particular moment of placing the Team Girls Cup on the gold coast wouldn’t be a deciding factor as to whether the Gold Coast gets a team or not, it’s very different having a team that needs to perform and have content eight times a year, which is very different from one off content.”
The Gold Coast Titans, who joined Queensland’s Sapphire Series in 2022, are among several bidders including Newcastle, regional Victoria and Tasmania looking to join the league in 2027.
The Diamonds played part of their 2022 England Series in Newcastle, while last year’s National Netball Championships were held in Hobart and the Australian Netball Championships were held in regional Victoria’s Traralgon.
Super Netball players back GC expansion
Two Super Netball guns have backed the addition of a Gold Coast Super Netball team as the competition’s pre-season cup comes to the Glitter Strip for the first time.
The Team Girls Cup, likened to the NRL’s Magic Round, will see all eight Super Netball teams face off against each other over three days at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre from February 24 to 26.
The tournament will be the first time since 2018 the Super Netball has been held on the Gold Coast – and will likely not be the last.
The Gold Coast Titans, who joined Queensland’s Sapphire Series in 2022, are among several bidders including Newcastle, regional Victoria and Tasmania looking to join the league in 2027.
Firebirds 2022 vice-captain Lara Dunkley said she would be “over the moon” if the league did expand to a third Queensland team.
“I think it would be incredible for netball, growing the game, getting more players involved and seen, and giving them opportunities,” Dunkley said.
“If netball did extend to the Gold Coast I would be over the moon.”
Lightning midcourter Annie Miller said she too would support a Gold Coast Super Netball team.
“I think that would be a great idea,” Miller said.
“I wouldn't mind where the team came from. I think our sport at a professional level has so much to give and there’s a lot of growth that needs to still happen and we are heading in the right space, so any new teams from anywhere across Australia would be really exciting.”
Executive General Manager of Suncorp Super Netball, Events and Commercial, Adam Richardson said the Gold Coast was a “strong growth corridor” for netball, although is yet to reveal why exactly the Coast was chosen.
“We are delighted to announce the 2023 Suncorp Team Girls Cup will be held on the Gold Coast, which is a key location for our two Queensland-based Suncorp Super Netball teams, and is a strong growth corridor looking at the participation data,” Richardson said.
“The combination of the Gold Coast and elite talent on display presents a wonderful opportunity for existing fans and a new demographic to witness Suncorp Super Netball, the world’s best netball league, in person.”
Currently, the competition possesses only three Gold Coast locals in the Firebirds’ Gretel Bueta, and the Lightning’s Reilley Batcheldor and new rookie Ashleigh Ervin.
Of the three, Batcheldor will likely be sidelined for season 2023 with an ACL injury, while Diamonds superstar Bueta is yet to decide on her future, after sharing heartbreaking news she had suffered a miscarriage in November.
In the possible absence of their star goal attack, the Firebirds appear to be looking towards New South Wales shooter Emily Moore to step into the role of third shooter alongside Donnell Wallam and Mia Stower.
Moore, a Giants Academy member and MVP of Sydney’s Premier League, came into the Firebirds squad in November for their Spirit Cup.
“Emily has just embraced every single second with us as a group, she’s shown that she’s got that experience, she’s a little bit older but also hasn't had that taste at Super netball so she’s another really exciting player to watch and we can’t wait to get her out on court at Team Girls Cup,” Dunkley said,
“I truly believe in just giving someone an opportunity, they can take it or leave it and our club is really embracing whoever we have in among our group and we will back each and every single player that we have on board.
“I get goosebumps thinking about when we get back on court and playing with new players, it’s a really exciting time.”
The Team Girls Cup will kick off on February 24, where kids under 14 will receive free entry.
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