Netball: Market game better, Taurua suggests

Noeline Taurua. Picture / Daily Post (Rotorua)

A revamp of the country's elite domestic competition may be on the cards but the Magic franchise is urging caution.

Netball New Zealand will meet with franchise representatives on Monday to review the National Bank Cup structure but won't say any more than that.

Franchises have been asked for input and it's understood Netball New Zealand is looking at the possibility of extending the competition to two rounds.

Capital Shakers coach Sheryl George-Burns is supporting the idea, saying the existing structure is boring, but others, including Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic's Noeline Taurua and Otago Rebels coach Lois Muir, say the financial implications for franchises and the wellbeing of players need to be considered.

Taurua would prefer Netball New Zealand to look at ways of improving the existing format before considering changes.

"If it goes to a double round something will have to give, whether it's an international fixture -- which I can't see happening -- or something like the national provincial championships."

Taurua said she would oppose any change if it was at the expense of the national championships.

"Losing that grass roots (event) would be to the detriment of the game. It gives more players the chance to be seen and strive towards the National Bank Cup and they get a chance to play among the top players -- it all develops the game."

Some franchises already struggling financially might not survive an extension of the competition and it would add to top players' already heavy commitments.

"There will be no down time unless they're going to look at going professional. That might be the next step," Taurua said.

"But I think there are so many ways they can make the competition better without changing it too much -- like looking at the marketing, getting television coverage of more of the better games and possibly looking at some sort of package involving the development teams. At the moment they're not allowed on the court within two hours of a competition game.

"If the reason behind all this is to get more people to watch, then maybe those are the sorts of things they should look at first."

Ultimately, she said, she would love to see the competition opened up to overseas teams.

"It would be a bit longer but if it's about making it more exciting, what could be better than throwing in a few Aussie teams?"

Magic business manager Sheryl Dawson said the franchise would meet this week to discuss the legal and financial implications of any possible change for the agreement between the Bay of Plenty and Waikato unions that formed the franchise. Any review would require a complete in-depth look at how change would impact on franchises, sponsorship, players and the volunteers needed to stage games, she said.

"We will have a series of suggestions we'll put forward. What we want to see is a really high class event that then translates into the local areas."

Dawson said it was perhaps time to look at the whole structure of netball in New Zealand, looking at existing events, their purpose and what they achieved in terms of player exposure and development. Extending the competition would not necessarily mean the end of another event, she said.

"Maybe we should look at having a massive tournament that incorporates the under-19, under-21 and open teams, all playing in a huge festival around late September, using a number of venues. This is not going to be a five-minute discussion.

"We're at the crossroads and need to be thinking outside the circle as to how we actually maintain forward momentum for netball," Dawson said.

- NZPA