KEY POINTS:
The door has been left open for Auckland's Vector Arena to host the final of the world netball championships in November but the troubled stadium has plenty to prove before it will be given the okay.
The International Federation of Netball Associations and Netball New Zealand yesterday announced that the world championships will be held at Waitakere's Trusts Stadium from November 10-17.
However, Netball New Zealand Board chairman Don Mackinnon said it had reserved the right to look at Vector Arena for the semifinals and final if the stadium was "up to speed" well before the November tournament.
Auckland's $80 million Vector Arena, which seats 8000-9000, is expected to open in March, a year behind schedule.
For the final of the world netball championships to be staged there, Mackinnon said the arena would have to prove it could cope with the demands of a major sporting event.
A test series between New Zealand and Australia is scheduled in New Zealand later this year, which Mackinnon said could be used as a test run. The timing of the series has yet to be confirmed but July has being touted as a possible option.
However, Netball NZ have strict criteria venues must meet before they can hold test matches which the Vector Arena would have to meet.
Among the criteria are being able to get a capacity crowd in and out of the venue easily, a quality playing surface, a run-off area, room around the sidelines for team benches and officials, corporate and media areas, along with changing rooms and other rooms for officials and drug testing.
To prove it could host a match in the transtasman series, the arena would have to hold a comparable event beforehand. Its major advantage is its capacity to seat 9000 spectators - 3000 more than Trusts Stadium and more than any indoor stadium in the country.
Netball NZ offered to host the world championships after Fiji were stripped of the event following the military coup, and had bids from Christchurch and Auckland.
Auckland's bid was a joint venture between Auckland and Waitakere City Councils.
Mackinnon said Netball NZ was in the process of setting up a separate organisation to run the championships. He said television rights were well advanced and talks with potential sponsors had begun.
"There is no doubt there is huge excitement, there is no doubt that netball in this country, probably more than anywhere else in the world, has some real interest from both male and female demographic.
"There is lot of interest in the corporate sector and we are confident we can secure high-profile sponsors."
Championships
* November 10-17, 2007.
* At Auckland Waitakere's Trusts Stadium with the possibility of the Vector Arena for the semis and final.
* Competing countries: New Zealand, Australia, Jamaica, England, South Africa, Fiji, Malawi, Botswana, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Singapore, Malaysia, Wales, Scotland, Samoa, Cook Islands
