Racing
League
Rugby
Football
Cricket
Golf
Sport Nation
Motorsport
Netball
Basketball
Combat Sports
Olympics
Other Sports
‘Bold but necessary’: Netball takes step towards professional future
Sport Nation • September 1st, 2026 10:30 am
Northern Mystics | Photo: Photosport
New Zealand’s elite domestic netball competition has moved a step closer to a new future, with Netball New Zealand signing a non-binding term sheet with investors Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams.
The agreement sets out an intention to privatise the competition from 2027, with the investors set to hold the league and team licences under a long-form agreement still to be finalised.
Netball New Zealand would retain a governance role while continuing to oversee the Silver Ferns, national selection, the elite player pathway and community netball.
Chief executive Jennah Wootten said the announcement provided much-needed clarity after a lengthy period of uncertainty.
“Private investment brings capital, commercial capability and partners committed to growing this competition and the sport around it,” Wootten said.
“Netball has an incredibly passionate and loyal supporter base, with strong match attendances and growing participation. This is about giving the game the backing it deserves.”
Wootten said the investors’ shared commitment to sport and women’s outcomes had been central to the Board’s decision.
“Anna and Ali are passionate about sport, and passionate about the broader outcomes that sport delivers for women and girls in New Zealand,” she said.
Jennah Wootten | Photo: Blake Armstrong
“That alignment is extremely important to the Board. This is a partnership with people who understand what this competition means to New Zealand, and we are excited that they have chosen to back netball.”
The proposed model would require at least five teams in 2027, with six currently competing. The final competition format, team structure, season dates and broadcast arrangements will be confirmed by the investors.
The move has been welcomed by the New Zealand Netball Players’ Association, which described it as “a bold but necessary step” towards a meaningful professional competition at home.
Mowbray said the ambition was to make New Zealand “the undisputed home of world netball” and create a clear pathway for young players to reach the top of the sport without having to leave the country.
Player terms will be determined through collective bargaining, while discussions will now begin between the investors, the Zones and the management committees of the Stars, Tactix and Magic.
Wootten acknowledged the uncertainty had already pushed some players overseas, but said the focus was now on building a competition strong enough to bring them home.
“The job now is to build a competition they want to come back to,” she said.
Maia Wilson's passionate plea for the future of netball in New Zealand | Millsy & Guy
