Could these netball rivals one day be on the same team? Photo: AAP / www.photosport.nz
Netball New Zealand is interested in a netball equivalent of cricket's IPL, which would draft the best players in the world and give athletes a chance to earn more money.
CODE Sports has reported that private investors across the Tasman are exploring a new breakaway netball competition in Australia, which would involve both local and international players.
It could run for six weeks in February-March during Australia's Super Netball pre-season.
The idea would be to use an auction system to pull in the best players in world netball, similar to that used in India's lucrative T20 cricket competition, albeit on a smaller scale.
Netball New Zealand's head of commercial and business development David Cooper said they had not had any approaches from any groups in Australia.
But Cooper said it was a model that Netball New Zealand has already looked at and would be very open to discussing with any other parties.
"In various commercial discussions that we've had within New Zealand we have talked about it as a concept that was worth exploring," Cooper said.
"It's something that we've talked to partners about for probably the last five years. Then Covid came along and probably stalled any progress we might have made."
Cooper said it was a model that could help generate more interest.
"I think everyone uses cricket's IPL (Indian Premier League) as an example, because immediately it grabs the attention and it's the best players from around the world getting the opportunity to come together into teams.
David Cooper Photo: Supplied
"A lot of those superstars of cricket have carried on in the IPL for three or four years post international retirement, which is what the fans love to see too."
Cooper said Netball New Zealand was interested in anything that took the game forward.
"Anything that creates more interest and entertainment and for future generations is something that we want to look at. We think this model has got a lot going for it.
"I think the window that's being discussed is advantageous for most leagues around the world to be able to build around and then look to run their domestic leagues post it, so it's a really interesting, exciting development that's going on."
The sport appears to be in a fairly precarious position in Australia at the moment.
The Collingwood Magpies AFL Football Club launched a star-studded netball franchise in 2017 for the first season of the Suncorp Super League.
But the club is set to decide within days whether to hand back its Super Netball licence. All eight teams in the league are believed to still run at a loss.
In 2016 after Australia and New Zealand went their separate ways ending nine years of trans-Tasman competition, Netball Australia announced a landmark pay deal making it the highest-paid sport for women in Australia.
But they've been overtaken by women's cricket.
The Pulse playing the Melbourne Vixens in 2016, the last year of the ANZ Championship. Could Silver Fern Maia Wilson (right) one day play on the same team as Australian player Jo Weston (left)? Photo: Photosport
Netball Australia is $4.2 million in debt and players have been told there will be no pay increases in the next Collective Player Agreement, despite wages in rival sports rising substantially.
Cooper said netball needed to stay on top of what was happening in rival sports.
"And as viewing trends change, as the needs of fans change we need to be alert to potential changes that will have a positive impact on the future.
"Obviously IPL has had a massive impact on cricket largely driven out of the backing of Indian broadcast revenue but it's not to say that there aren't other opportunities for netball to run a similar model and create an opportunity that doesn't currently exist both for fans and the players."
He said a new competition would be an opportunity for New Zealand players to be involved at the highest echelon of the game.
Some of the stars of the game. Photo: Photosport
"It would be a fascinating discussion to be part of and it's been something that we've had discussions about in the past and continue to be very interested in."
New Zealand Netball Players' Association executive manager Steph Bond said the organisation would "absolutely" be open to looking at a new competition for its players.
"I don't think we can limit ourselves to the New Zealand market because that's kind of the problem with netball a little bit is we are very much about the local market.
"So if you look at cricket or rugby - their international markets are so important to them and that's why they can drive so much more revenue so we would be stupid if we didn't sit down and actually look at what that competition was about and how it could actually help the players earn some more money in the sport," Steph Bond said.
The association has just started the bargaining process for a new collective agreement for New Zealand's elite players.
Bond said it was too early to say if New Zealand players were likely to get an increase.
"But what we've kind of gone into bargaining with the point that every other sport right now has invested invested heavily in the women's game, alongside their partners and broadcasters, I think that's a really important point too."
