Craig Hutchison’s rights to new Super Netball franchise on hold until next year

Craig Hutchison’s Sports Entertainment Group won the race to replace the Magpies as Super Netball’s eighth franchise, but he hasn’t taken hold of the rights yet. Here’s why.

Netball Australia will set up a subsidiary company to hold the eighth Super Netball licence before the Sports Entertainment Network formally takes hold of the rights from January 1 next year.

Melbourne media identity and businessman Craig Hutchison’s SEN - which Code Sports revealed as a bidder last month - was formally revealed as the eighth licence holder on Friday, with an as-yet unnamed southeast Melbourne-based franchise to take over from the Collingwood Magpies.

But the speed at which the club has been set up means NA will form a company to start formal contracting of staff and players for the club before SEN takes over from 2024.

NA chief executive Kelly Ryan said the business would perform a “caretaker” role until the end of the year.

Craig Hutchinson is happy to wait to take over the eighth Super Netball license. Picture: David Crosling

“It does have complete independence of Netball Australia and everybody else that plays a role from a whole of sport perspective,” Ryan said.

“So … you will sign a contract with the subsidiary business of Netball Australia which will then be transferred over to the SEN group as of January 1 in 2024.”

Hutchison lauded the idea, saying it would give SEN time to set up effectively from 2024.

“I think that’s from our point of view been a fantastic idea of Netball Australia to allow us the time to get our feet under the desk, to learn the sport and its people and to give ourselves the best chance of setting up for success,” he said.

“That five month runway and the compliance that comes with that, the governance upon us while we’ll be running and implementing the team, to have the sense of oversight and governance is really welcome.

“And I think that board will play a really important role in helping steer us so that come January 1 when we do take over the license that we give ourselves the best chance of being as established and successful as the other seven teams.”

Hutchison said announcements over the team’s personnel, colours, name and location would be made in the coming weeks.

While there was no confirmation of the coach, it’s understood former England mentor Tracey Neville was the group’s leading target and while she was not formally signed by Friday morning, when the team was revealed, she is likely to commit to the new team.

Rumour is that Tracey Neville will coach the new Melbourne team

Former Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander, an advocate of the eighth licence remaining in Victoria, said she was thrilled to see the new club would be based in Melbourne and remained committed to helping a new franchise off the ground if they wished to draw on her expertise.

“It’s great that there’s now a second team in Victoria again and it’s going to be in the growth area of southeast Melbourne,” Alexander said.

“Hopefully it might get even called the South East Angels … and I’m still happy to help out.”

Hutchison said the coaching process would move quickly.

“It’s ongoing, will be led by the independence of the Netball Australia caretaker board to go through that process but we anticipate it happening very quickly,” he said.

“We’re new to the sport, so far from experts but what I would say is there is an incredible talent pool available of coaches.

“We’ve been overwhelmed with the interest and also the calibre of candidate.

“Clearly when you establish a new franchise it’s really important to start on the right foot and to set the tone.

“So an experienced and established coach, if available, is a huge priority and a great person and a great leader.

“We’re confident that we have a couple of options there that we can proceed upon subject to Netball Australia’s approval, and we anticipate that happening pretty quickly in the coming days.”

Neville was a member of Tania Obst’s staff at the Adelaide Thunderbirds this season, helping them break a decade-long premiership drought.

She also has a close and longstanding relationship with T-Birds goaler Eleanor Cardwell, leading to speculation the England Roses representative could be a target of the new club once the Super Netball contracting window opens on August 7 subject to the Team Participation Agreements and the Collective Player Agreement being finalised.

Ryan said there were to be no talks between the new franchise and players other than Collingwood athletes for now though, refusing to allow open-slather non-binding talks regardless of the new team being named.

The new eighth team will replace the Collingwood Magpies. Picture: Getty Images

“It is imperative that we still allow this team every opportunity - the equal opportunity - to contract players,” Ryan said.

“So as soon as this team is ready to go they’ll be able to start conversing directly with Collingwood players in the first instance - as every other team has also had the opportunity to talk to Collingwood players plus their own - but there is no room in this sport for an inequal competition.

“So we hold firm and have always said that this team needs 14 days in which to stand up its own structure to have the equal ability to converse with athletes.

“Whether it be non-binding or binding it’s irrelevant. A conversation of intent outside your own team environment is not permitted.”

POACHING BOMBSHELL: NEW SSN TEAM ‘STEAL RIVAL COACH’

Craig Hutchison’s Sports Entertainment Group has won the race to replace the Collingwood Magpies as Super Netball’s eighth franchise.

Hutchison was revealed by Code Sports as a potential player last month and it’s understood SEG’s Melbourne-based model has been preferred to Netball Victoria’s regional bid.

The new club will become a major player immediately, with former England coach Tracey Neville understood to have agreed to come on board as head coach.

Neville, who led the Roses to Commonwealth Games gold on the Gold Coast in 2018, spent the 2023 season with the Adelaide Thunderbirds as an assistant to long-time friend and coaching partner Tania Obst.

But it’s understood she will make the move to Melbourne to head the new franchise in a move that could also impact the player market.

Thunderbirds goaler and grand final MVP Eleanor Cardwell has a close relationship with Neville and with the Super Netball contract window closed until after the World Cup, would be a target of the new franchise.

Craig Hutchison is now in the netball game

It’s the first move into netball for SEG, which also owns NBL’s Perth Wildcats, WNBL club Bendigo Spirit and the Otago Nuggets in the NZNBL, after holding a quarter stake in another basketball team, Melbourne United, from 2018-21.

Chief Executive Craig Hutchison said acquiring this team was the first of many steps into netball, a sport the business believes in.

“We see an opportunity here to step up and ensure the Victorian netball community gets the second team it deserves,” Mr Hutchison said.

“We believe firmly in the direction of the Netball Australia Board, its Chief Executive Kelly Ryan and the leadership team. 

“The Suncorp Super Netball standard is the best in the world and inspires so many young Australians.

“It is an outstanding entertainment product and continues to grow on the back of a fantastic season.

“We can’t wait to play our role running the new team and supporting Netball Australia’s overall vision.”

FINALLY AN ANNOUNCEMENT

NA had hoped to announce the eighth licensee before the Super Netball grand final earlier this month following the deadline for bids on June 20.

But the governing body set an overly optimistic target, given the logistics of finalising the eighth team.

A sub-committee, with members including NA board members Archer, John O’Sullivan and Peter Legg, CEO Kelly Ryan and external consultants David Gallop and Colin Smith, will assessed applications, understood to have only been two formal bids after Melbourne businessman Geoff Lord said his Belgravia Group’s due diligence had revealed shortcomings in NA’s forecast income streams in key areas.

Netball Tasmania also withdrew at the eleventh hour, leaving just the two Victorian bids to answer NA’s request for proposal.

NA’s broadcast agreement with the Foxtel Group stipulates two teams run out of Melbourne, with the deal understood to have been a key plank in the awarding of the licence to SEG.

NA chief executive Kelly Ryan last month confirmed the broadcaster would play a key role in determining the location of the eighth licence and it’s understood Foxtel baulked at Netball Victoria’s stipulation its games be held in regional areas including Bendigo and Ballarat.

Ryan congratulated SEN on joining the Suncorp Super Netball League family.

“This is an exciting development for the competition and shows the future of Suncorp Super Netball is bright as a successful tier one sport,” Ms Ryan said.

“We know Victoria has a passionate netball community and we look forward to seeing that translate into support and success for our newest team.

“As a successful club owner, national broadcaster and publisher, SEN has a proven track record in the sporting landscape of enhancing sporting coverage and connecting brands to fans. We are excited by Craig Hutchison’s vision and can’t wait to see the new side in action next year.

“We thank Netball Victoria for the support it has provided through this process and we look forward to working with all eight Suncorp Super Netball teams to make next season the biggest and best yet.”

Originally published as Craig Hutchison’s rights to new Super Netball franchise on hold until next year