Netball: New Zealand teams safe if league expands

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic player Malia Paseka pictured in action against the NSW Swifts during an ANZ Championship netball match. Photo / Alan Gibson.

Netball Australia is seeking to add further teams to the transtasman league but netball bosses here are adamant it won't come at the expense of any New Zealand franchises.

Following the completion of the eighth season the two national bodies conducted a joint review of the ANZ Championship with one of the major outcomes being the possible expansion of the league.

Netball Australia is set to begin the process of calling for expressions of interest for additional Australian teams to compete in the league from 2017. But Netball New Zealand chief executive Hilary Poole said there is no danger of losing any Kiwi franchises.

"[Dropping a New Zealand team] wasn't an option for us. We were absolutely resolute about retaining five teams. We're open to a number of options in terms format and competition structure but under absolutely no consideration was there to reduce the number of New Zealand franchises," said Poole.

"We know we've got challenges with competitive balance but I think some of the measures we're putting in place with our high performance pathways will assist that."

The ANZ Championship is currently played over 18 weeks from March to July, comprising 14 home and away rounds followed by a finals series. In 2015, a Conference system was introduced guaranteeing three teams from each side of the Tasman would progress to the finals.

At this stage Netball Australia are only calling for expressions of interest and any decisions over the future shape of the competition will come once it has been determined whether further franchises are financially sustainable. The extra franchises may not necessarily fall under the umbrella of one of the existing state bodies in Australia, with officials there open to considering bids from private enterprises.

Poole said Netball Australia's expansion bid has her organisation's full support.

"From our perspective, it's a real positive to see that the competition is poised for growth heading towards 2017. The league needs to both grow and innovate as we enter the next phase of development of the competition," she said.

"We support Australia's initiative in recruiting additional Australian teams to the competition, and look forward to determining the structure of the competition once they have tested the market, and we have further clarification around the broadcast rights from 2017 onwards."

Netball Australia chief executive Kate Palmer said the ANZ Championship has provided a strong platform for the sport to build its fan base and commercial support through intra- and inter-country rivalry.

"Now we need to further capitalise on that success, and realise the commercial potential of our sport in Australia. Here in Australia, that means securing a long-term broadcast partner who we can work with to create an even more dynamic entertainment product that will attract new viewers and fans," she said.

"All the research in Australia, points to the opportunity for more Australian teams, and more home games."

"We now have five strong, successful and sustainable teams, and there is no doubt that we have the capacity for further growth.

Final outcomes of the review are anticipated mid-year 2016.