Netball news: ANPA, players share sticking points as Netball Australia industrial dispute goes public

The fight for netball’s new Collective Player Agreement is set to be played out in public as players take to social media in yet another disastrous lead up to the Constellation Cup.

The battle for a new Super Netball Collective Player Agreement looks set to be played out in public, with the Australian Netball Players Association releasing details of what its members are fighting for in a new agreement.

ANPA called for mediation earlier this week as increasingly toxic talks between it and Netball Australia over the new CPA reached a stalemate almost two weeks after players officially became unemployed.

As the clock ticked down to the opening pass of the Diamonds’ first Test on home soil since becoming world champions, focus remained on the industrial standoff rather than what promises to be a high-quality series against the Silver Ferns.

But with she-said, she-said allegations increasingly poisoning the progress of talks, a new CAP deal looks to be fought out in public unless formal mediation starts.

The fight for netball’s new Collective Player Agreement is set to be played out in public. Picture: Getty Images

ANPA has released the main sticking points after NA revealed significant detail of its offer earlier this week, outlining an overall increased investment of $1.275 million across the three-year deal on top of a proposed profit-share partnership, nine per cent base wage increase over three years and a three per cent salary cap increase.

Athletes took to social media on Monday night under the #FightForFair hashtag, saying they were “disappointed Netball Australia has rejected a real partnership model with the players”.

And under a “Protect and Respect” message released on Wednesday and shared on social media by several athletes, ANPA said “players are concerned about the misleading information released by Netball Australia”.

“Our claims are modest and affordable.

“We are only asking for what is fair and to be treated as partners in the game.”

pic.twitter.com/vYP6FXHMEM

— Tayla Fraser (@taylafraserr) October 9, 2023

Detailing the sticking points for a deal, ANPA said the players were fighting for:

- Hybrid revenue/profit share model in which 20 per cent of above forecast sponsorship revenue is retained by players and a profit-share model for other revenue streams (after NA retains first $500k of profit)

- A three per cent increase in minimum base remuneration

- Salary cap to be raised to 15 per cent above teams’ minimum remuneration spend (no obligation to spend above minimum)

- ANPA investment of $425k without excessive obligations and restraints

- Agreed Super Netball financial transparency

The Diamonds 2022 Constellation Cup campaign was hijacked by the calamitous breakdown of the $15m Hancock Prospecting sponsorship. Picture: Getty Images.

ANPA said players had agreed to defer further investment and policy in several areas to get the deal done, including:

- Wellbeing and education investment and support

- Best practice parental and pregnancy policy

- Improved transition support

- Establishing a past player program

- Improved travel and accommodation

After last year’s Constellation Cup was hijacked by the calamitous breakdown of the proposed $15m Hancock Prospecting sponsorship, another series where the focus is not on the court is a nightmare scenario for Netball Australia.

Originally published as Netball news: ANPA, players share sticking points as Netball Australia industrial dispute goes public