ANZ Premiership: Silver Ferns left in the dark over future amid Sky broadcast deal talks

The Silver Ferns have retained their coach, Dame Noeline Taurua - now can they keep a decent broadcast deal? Photo / Photosport

The country’s top netball players have been left partially in the dark over the future of their salaries.

Sky has lowballed Netball New Zealand (NNZ) in negotiating their next agreement for the rights to broadcast the ANZ Premiership and Silver Ferns tests, with reports suggesting the offer is less than half of the current deal.

The arrangement funds the salary caps of all six ANZ Premiership franchises and effectively supports their entire model. The current deal expires at the end of this year.

Silver Ferns defender Kelly Jackson - nee Jury - told Newstalk ZB players have not been told by NNZ how much Sky are offering, leading to concerns.

“All we know is they have offered less than previous contracts,” Jackson said. “They are wanting us to be prepared, but also telling us that it’s not all doom and gloom.

“It would be worrying to anyone if there isn’t guaranteed stability. But as a playing group, there isn’t much else that we can do other than being able to put out a good product on court to make our product seem worthwhile for Sky to invest in.”

Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio fears for the sport’s place in New Zealand.

The 70-test cap shooter has pointed to the Tauihi women’s basketball league - which also has a broadcast deal with Sky - doubling the weekly incomes of female athletes.

“It is a little bit worrying for the future of netball and our ability to do it fulltime,” she said on Monday. “At the moment, not even all of our girls can do this fulltime. I think we’ve been such a great leader in female sport that we don’t want to go backwards.”

“If their salaries are going to be doubled, the opportunity is there. People want to invest in women’s sport, so hopefully we can do the right things to attract those kind of investors.”

New Zealand midcourter Kate Heffernan echoes Jackson’s sentiment.

The Silver Ferns after defeat to Australia in 2023. Photo / Photosport

“We can’t really do anything about it. I guess we can only control what we can control but it is slightly concerning and it’s a real shame. Hopefully we can keep making netball exciting,” Heffernan said.

Dame Noeline Taurua is pushing for the Silver Ferns to be able to play their club netball overseas whilst remaining eligible for test selection in order to gain greater international exposure.

Currently, only ANZ Premiership athletes can play for New Zealand, while players from the likes of England and Jamaica are free to move elsewhere and still be eligible.

The Australians, meanwhile, have unlimited import spots in their Super Netball competition, which exposes the Diamonds to a higher level of opposition at domestic level.

A drop in player salaries is likely to see more Kiwi athletes look to take their careers offshore, as already seen with former Silver Ferns Gina Crampton, Elle Temu and Sam Winders.

Ekenasio said change is needed.

“You [need to] look at it from a real professional [standpoint] and that this is our job,” she added. “If we as players have the opportunity to go and make a lot more money, I’m sure there’s a way that we can play it so players can do both and everybody wins.”

The goal attack has applauded the New Zealand Netball Players’ Association for its support throughout the broadcast deal negotiation process.

“The reps there are incredible with the amount of work they’re doing behind the scenes and the information they feed back to us. I think we’re very well-informed in that regard. They’re really fighting for us, which is awesome.”

The ANZ Premiership starts this weekend.

Nathan Limm has been a journalist with Newstalk ZB and the NZ Herald since 2020. Limm covered the World Rally Championship in New Zealand, the Netball World Cup in South Africa, hosts The Big League Podcast and commentates Super Rugby and NPC. Growing up, he was never far from the footy field or the cricket nets and fostered a deep passion for sports media and broadcasting.