Podcasts about Netball New Zealand

Netball New Zealand has reappointed Dame Noeline Taurua as Silver Ferns head coach until the end of next year's Netball World Cup in Sydney. Dame Noeline guided the Silver Ferns to Commonwealth Games gold last month, and she's looking forward to helping the team move forward and improve. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave says it's been a chaotic few months for Netball NZ, and they needed a consistent choice. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was recently revealed that Dame Noeline Taurua had re-signed with the Silver Ferns as their head coach through to the end of the 2027 Netball World Cup. This announcement comes around 12 months after she was controversially stood down from the position ahead of the Taini Jamison series last year. Jennah Wootten is the CEO of Netball New Zealand, she joined D'Arcy to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now if you were to wander down to your local netball court on any given Saturday morning in winter, you would see hundreds, no matter how small the town might be, you would see hundreds, and in the biggest cities, thousands of parents and young women on the courts, on the sidelines, waiting in the queue for a park in the car park, checking to see if they're blocking a bit of your driveway as they try and desperately find a park down a side street to get to the game on time. It is our national women's game – netball's played by nearly 30,000 secondary school students and more than 60,000 juniors in New Zealand. It's the most popular participant secondary school sport for girls in New Zealand and has been for years and years and years. Moms who played netball come down to watch daughters, and sons up until secondary school, playing netball. Dads who watched the moms play netball back in the day when they were just courting are now watching daughters on the sidelines. Huge supporters. But why does that support, that love of the game, that passion for the game – because on some of those wet, cold, icy mornings, it's a lot to get up out of your warm bed and head down to the courts. All very well and good to be playing, but when you're standing shivering on the sideline, that's commitment. So why does that support, that passion and commitment not translate into being able to sustain a money-making professional league for our very, very best players? The annus horribilis of Netball New Zealand, or really, it's an anni horribiles, have been well traversed. But one of the main problems that Netball New Zealand encountered was that there just weren't enough people watching the game to support televising the league, and without high rating broadcasts, it's really hard to secure sponsorship and a long-term future for the league. Netball New Zealand will argue that viewer numbers were improving. The average live television audience for an ANZ Premiership fixture was 51,800 – a 32% increase on 2025, which means that in 2025 they were miserable numbers. But then compare that to the hundreds and thousands who watch rugby on the telly for the Super Rugby matches. The ranks of our best netballers have been gutted as Netball New Zealand worked to find a way to continue with some form of a premier competition. They just couldn't get it nailed down quickly enough, so 13 of our elite players have headed across the Tasman to play, they've been snapped up. Five are heading to the UK's Netball Superleague. If people weren't watching a competition with our very best netballers, some of the best netballers in the world, will we watch with only the up and comers? Chief executive of Netball New Zealand Jennah Wootten is confident we have the talent for a new competition. "I've been talking to a lot of former Silver Ferns and a lot of people that are deeply involved in the technical side of our sport. And I think one of the things I'm hearing from a lot of them, Mike, is yes, 18 players have signed to go offshore and we totally respect and understand why, we couldn't give them certainty early enough. But if you look at the ANZ Premiership this year, we had around 60 players in that competition. So there's actually an enormous amount that are still here. And what I'm really excited about is seeing what new talent's going to come through. You know, there'll be a whole lot of people that have been on the cusp of getting into these teams in the past. This is going to be their moment, and I reckon we're going to learn a whole lot of new names in netball that are going to be the stars of the future." Well, you hope so. And that's certainly what angel investors Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams are hoping, who are the backers of a private domestic competition as of next year. They know about sport, they know about business, they know how to get people along, they know how to drum up passion for a team, and hopefully they can do the same for this tournament. Mowbray and Williams will determine the competition format, the team structure and the season dates. And Jennah Wootten said having them come to the rescue gives the netball community clarity on the direction of travel after a lengthy period of uncertainty. But what is it that makes a sport watchable? There is no doubt that there are hundreds of thousands of people involved in netball in this country who take an interest. And they put their money where their mouth is, they travel, they get up on a Saturday morning, they take the kids to the practices, they travel from city to city too, if the kids get into the top leagues to watch the inter-sport competition. They play social netball. There's a lot of interest in the game that does not translate to eyes on screens. Why? I'll watch a sport I've never played and really enjoy it. Love watching the league, love watching the union, never played it. Really enjoy it. Love watching tennis. You'd argue that netball's more interesting than tennis on paper. But given a choice between watching the best tennis players in the world and the best netballers, I'd watch the tennis. I love watching sport. Give me a reason to watch and I'll watch it, but right now, is it the game? Is it just that it's more exciting to play than to watch? What is it? Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray are not fools. They're not going to have a passion project that doesn't see a return on investment, surely. They must believe they can get people behind netball. What would make you watch? Because I'm not one of them, and I'll watch just about any sport, but it just doesn't hold my interest and I don't know why. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A privatised competition for elite domestic netball is back on the cards for 2027, but Netball New Zealand has told Checkpoint the agreement commits to a "number of years" to gauge success. The body announced today it has signed a non-binding term sheet with Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams, the sporting and business couple who are also co-owners of Auckland FC. Netball New Zealand Chief Executive Jennah Wootten spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

New Zealand's domestic netball competition has been given a lifeline, with Netball New Zealand officially backing a proposal from Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams. Silver Fern Phoenix Karaka spoke to John Campbell.

Let's not underestimate just how bold Netball New Zealand's decision is to hand control of the ANZ Premiership to private investors. To be fair, the netball bosses have probably had little choice. The sport was heading towards ruin in this country without outside help. Eighteen of our best players have signed contracts to play in overseas competitions next year. That includes almost the entire Silver Ferns squad that went to the Commonwealth Games, with the exception of just two players, one of whom has suffered an ACL injury. No broadcaster wanted to put netball on television without Netball New Zealand covering the production costs. And in a single season, Netball New Zealand lost $3.7 million simply trying to keep the engine running. This could not continue much longer. Probably not even for another year. That's why the netball bosses have likely had no real option but to let private money take over. But the fact their backs were against the wall doesn't detract from how bold this decision is. Netball is the first of our traditional sports to truly pull the trigger on handing control to private interests. You could argue rugby went first with Super Rugby, but rugby's administrators never really ceded much control. In fact, they didn't give up any meaningful control at all. You could also argue cricket got there earlier with the T20 deal announced this year. But we don't know the full details of that arrangement, if the parties themselves even do. And that competition isn't due to start until January 2028, whereas this netball deal has to be finalised within weeks. The licence will soon be handed over to Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray. It's happening. This is the beginning of the privatisation of our traditional sports. Netball has probably been forced to move first because it's in the greatest financial trouble. But that may also prove to be its silver lining. Going first means getting the money first. And not just the money. It also means gaining the commercial expertise of successful business people such as Anna Mowbray. Don't underestimate the value of that. Here's hoping it works. Frankly, it probably couldn't have gone much worse than where it was headed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday 2nd of September 2026 another OCR hike is looking likely from the Reserve Bank, Westpac chief Economist Kelly Eckhold tells Ryan what we can expect. New Zealand and America are teaming up to build a port for the Cook Islands; international relations professor Robert Patman shares his thoughts. Netball New Zealand have made the decision to privatise the domestic league; former Silver Fern Marg Foster reacts to the news. Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on laundry rooms being turned into prison cells to combat overcrowding in UK jails and an investigation underway after a man died near Notting Hill Carnival in London following a police pursuit. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Netball New Zealand has latched onto the lifeline offered by Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams to keep the elite domestic competition afloat in 2027. RNZ understands the national body has selected the Mowbray-Williams bid to establish a private franchise league as its preferred option to replace the ANZ Premiership, following months of uncertainty over the future of the competition. Sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Netball New Zealand is closing in on a decision over the future of its elite domestic competition. RNZ understands a series of key meetings are being held this week as pressure mounts on the national body to make a call on what shape the ANZ Premiership will take next year. Netball NZ has been unable to commit to running a professional league next season as it faces losses of up to $6 million for the current financial year. Sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

As administrators grapple with decisions over the future of New Zealand's domestic netball competition, the country's leading players are headed for the exits. This week will provide the clearest picture yet of the scale of the talent drain facing Netball New Zealand, as the contracting window for the Australian league opens today. NZ Herald sports journalist Nathan Limm says there's a handful of players also being approached by UK-based clubs, and not just Silver Ferns either. "Each UK club can only take on two imports, and those imports cannot play in the same area of the court. So while we're hearing a lot about different players getting talked to, it's fair to say that not everyone is going to be able to get a contract." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Netball New Zealand said it's a priority to have a domestic competition in 2027 and beyond. Speaking publicly for the first time since officially becoming CEO, Jennah Wootten said today that the organisation is looking at a number of options but could not guarantee anything would be ready by next season. The organisation is facing losses of up to $6 million for the financial year. Watching the developments is boss of the New Zealand Netball Players Association, Pippa Moore, she spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Let's talk netball. It's been the number one sport for women and girls in this country for more than a century. The Silver Ferns just won the gold-medal at the Commonwealth Games But we can't seem to get the domestic league firing .. which has led to very real concerns about not having a domestic competition in 2027. RNZ reported this week that a proposed netball league backed by Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams could be up and running as early as next year, after the high-profile couple put forward a new proposal to Netball New Zealand to fast-track the establishment of a privately-owned franchise competition. To discuss the state of netball and where to from here, Jesse is joined by sports journalist and founding editor of LockerRoom, Suzanne McFadden.

With a proposal for a fast-tracked new netball league announced earlier this week, the long-term future of netball in New Zealand is unknown. Jennah Wootten is wrapping up her first week as CEO of Netball New Zealand. She spoke to John Campbell about her priorities in the role and turning success into momentum following a Commonwealth Games gold medal.

Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennah Wootton is conscious of rushing a decision which could define her tenure. She's officially started in the role as of Wednesday as the sport grapples to salvage its domestic competition. The Herald reports Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray have pitched a professional competition to bridge the gap to a fully privatised 2028 league. Wootton told Mike Hosking time is crucial as players weigh up options offshore, but they need to do their due diligence. She says it's a decision that will have impacts for years to come, so they need to make sure it's the right decision, it's responsibly made, and that it works really well for the game's future. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Southern Steel Coach Wendy Frew is welcoming news of a bid from a private investor in a domestic netball league, but said decisions would have to come soon to stop players and other staff from going overseas. It's a big task then that greets the Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennah Wootten on her first day in the job. RNZ has revealed the national body is in talks with high-profile couple Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray about a proposal to establish a new privately-owned franchise league. It's one of several options the cash-strapped organisation is exploring as it battles to secure the future of the sport. Sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Netball New Zealand's new chief executive Jennah Wootten will have hit the ground running on her first official day in the job today. RNZ revealed that Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray are behind a bid to establish a new franchise netball league for 2028. Details of the bid from the couple behind the A-League Club Auckland FC are yet to be publicly revealed. In the meantime, players, coaches and officials within the sport remain in limbo about next season. That includes Southern Steel Coach Wendy Frew who spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Netball New Zealand is understood to be in talks with a private investor to secure the future of the domestic competition. It comes amid a period of uncertainty for the sport, which is facing losses of up to $6 million. Sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

New Zealand's professional netball ranks could be about to undergo the biggest shake-up in a generation. A private investor described as "a high net-worth family with sporting links" is in talks to take over the ANZ Premiership licence. Any new model would see a franchise league established for the 2028 season, not next year. Former Netball New Zealand chair Don Mackinnon says the move is timely in the current sporting landscape. He told Mike Hosking that the traditional federated model that moves through club, school, province, and international has served New Zealand sport superbly for over a century, but it's under huge pressure now. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is professional netball in New Zealand now in a death spiral? Unless something really significant happens to change the trajectory, are we watching the death spiral of a sport? I think all netball fans should be very concerned about the financial revelation from Netball New Zealand's chair: the organisation is expected to run at a loss of $6 million a year and it does not have enough money to absorb losses like that indefinitely. The last time I checked, Netball New Zealand had around $12 million in the bank. If that's still roughly accurate, they'll now have about half of that left and possibly even less. If they can't afford to run the competition next year in the same way they did this year, then surely the most obvious option, though not the only one, is to ask players to either play for free or accept another pay cut on top of the reduction they've already taken this year. And if players are asked to take another pay cut, or even play for free, isn't the most obvious response for the best of them to leave and play in Australia or the UK, where they can earn reasonable money? Let's say six players decide they need to be paid for the work they do and head overseas. I'm making that figure up but let's go with it. We've already lost eight players from the competition this year. Suddenly, we're talking about a dozen or 14 players leaving. That's the equivalent of two teams' worth of talent disappearing from the competition. Now you've got a much less compelling competition next year because the best players are gone. In that scenario, does TVNZ look at a significantly weaker product and decide, "I'm not sure we want to broadcast that"? And even if they do decide to stick with it, do the rest of us, the fans, tune in and think, "This isn't much good. All the stars are gone," and then stop watching? If the audience falls away, do sponsors start leaving as well because they're no longer getting the reach they expected for their investment? And if all of that happens, netball surely generates even less revenue in the years ahead. Does the cycle then begin again? With less money coming in, do players get asked to take another pay cut, prompting more departures and continuing the downward spiral? You can see how this could keep happening, over and over again, until there's very little left. That's why there has to be a circuit-breaker. Something has to interrupt the cycle. I don't know what that solution is. Is it privatisation? Is it joining the Australian league? I don't know. But it's clear that something major will be required to secure the future of Netball New Zealand. Because if it wasn't already obvious, the numbers should make it crystal clear: professional netball in this country appears to be at the beginning of a death spiral. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Long-time netball administrator Sheryl Dawson believes the commercial value of the sport has been undersold in New Zealand. It comes as the ANZ Premiership fights for survival with Netball New Zealand chair Alastair Carruthers believing the competition must be re-designed to stop haemorrhaging money. Dawson, who has been the CEO of the Magic previously as well as president of the sport's international federation, says they have to capture the excitement of the sport and sell it to fans and corporates. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm not interested in a pile-on on Netball New Zealand. We are where we are and there's no real need to re-litigate how that happened. As this was playing out over the last 12 months, we questioned those in positions of power, and many of those people are no longer in those positions. We're here now... and we can't turn back time. There's no question this has been a hugely disruptive time for the game of netball here, but with disruption comes opportunity. Much as there's a fair degree of short term pain to go through here, Netball NZ now have the chance to reimagine what the domestic competition should look like, and most importantly, how it's financially underpinned. Board chair Alastair Carruthers, who fronted media yesterday and did so pretty well in my view, said a couple of things that really stood out to me. He said: "Turnarounds begin when you have a shared understanding of the problem". Which is a very corporate phrase, but it's an accurate one. Netball NZ's biggest problem is obviously financial. For far too long, they've relied on the broadcasting money from Sky to run their domestic competition. And because of institutional complacency, which flowed at times into arrogance, they believed that tap wouldn't be turned off. They thought netball was untouchable because of its place in our sporting history and its incredibly strong community connection. But things change, nothing is certain, and having all of your eggs in one financial basket is never a sound strategy. And now, that basket has been removed, and Netball NZ is financially exposed. But there's a chance now to stop relying so heavily on one income stream and build a more diversified commercial model It amazes me - and Cheryl brought this up - that businesses who target a female market are not queuing up to invest in netball, to connect with its enormous community base, and to align with our elite players, who are not only great athletes, but also really magnetic personalities. We could sit here and very quickly and easily make a list of the products and services that large segments of the female population use, and also make the purchasing decisions about in their households. Hair-care and skin-care Clothing brands Technology Travel Food and beverage Motor vehicles That's just a start. But commercial partners aren't charities. Netball NZ can't go cap in hand to sponsors and ask them to bail them out, they need to show them the value of a long-term partnership with them. There's no doubt that commercial sponsors currently undervalue netball, and maybe in a world where those partnerships weren't important because was a big pot of broadcast money, those relationships weren't nurtured by Netball NZ. Because they always had the TV money, but now they don't. So let's start again. Re-open these conversations, or start some new ones, come up with a suite of benefits for those partners, show them value, and start to build a diverse revenue base to support the domestic comp. As I said at the start, we're here now. Previous netball leaders at governance and operational level have dropped the ball, or at the very least taken their eyes off it. But it's only a disaster if you don't pick it back up again. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Netball New Zealand has quietly changed Silver Fern eligibility rules to allow them to play overseas without it affecting their ability to play for the national team. Netball New Zealand board chair Alastair Carruthers spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss from Glasgow.

Despite attracting its biggest television audience in years, the ANZ Premiership is set to record a significant loss of around $3.7 million in 2026, casting further doubt over the future of New Zealand's domestic netball competition. Netball New Zealand board chair Alastair Carruthers said the shortfall would be covered by the organisation's cash reserves, but warned that approach could not continue. Speaking on Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking Breakfast, Carruthers admitted the loss would be hard to cover, adding that the overall deficit for Netball New Zealand would be far greater. “It's going to be hard to cover,” Carruthers said. “We do have reserves sufficient to deal with it this year. “The board last year, when committing to the third year of this this premiership, knew that it had reserves that that would cover the loss, but [the loss] is bigger than we expected. “I think it's important to note that also this year Netball New Zealand in total is likely to run up a loss greater than $3.7m. It's going to be close to $6m. Reserves will cover this year. “I don't think next year is going to be easy to cover at that level from our reserves position, so we need to start redesigning our business and redesigning the way that this competition is played.” The loss is part of the fallout after it was revealed Netball New Zealand emailed coaches and staff at the Northern Stars, Mainland Tactix and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic telling them their contracts cannot be extended at this stage. The three franchises are all run by Netball New Zealand, while the Northern Mystics, Central Pulse and Southern Steel are run by their respective netball zones. Carruthers is adamant the governing body remained committed to maintaining a strong domestic competition while ensuring the long-term health of the sport. With that in mind, Netball New Zealand has agreed to change the eligibility requirements for Silver Ferns selection, following discussions with the Players Association with an eye on the 2027 Netball World Cup. Players who choose to sign with overseas clubs will now remain eligible for Silver Ferns selection. The change takes effect immediately for the current selection cycle and will continue for the duration of any multi-year overseas contract. Netball NZ Board Chair Alastair Carruthers. Photo / Photosport “Any player is welcome to play anywhere in the world if they wish to and will still be eligible for selection for the for the Silver Ferns,” Carruthers said. “We did that because while there is uncertainty about what form of domestic competition we can offer at home, people need freedom of choice and the opportunity to keep working and the opportunity to keep playing at an elite level.” He said any future model would continue to prioritise a high-quality domestic competition, alongside supporting community netball. The big financial loss comes despite the ANZ Premiership attracting 1.05 million unique television viewers on TVNZ this season, excluding audiences who watched live or on demand via TVNZ. Figures obtained by the Herald show that represents a 16% increase on 2025 and a 64% increase since 2024. The average live television audience for an ANZ Premiership fixture was 51,800, a 32% increase on 2025 for the average number of people watching a game live on TV2. The grand final between the Northern Mystics and Southern Steel saw a 60% increase in viewership, with more than 120,000 New Zealanders watching live – the most ever. Before that, 82,159 viewers had tuned in for the elimination final, 25,742 more than last year. The overall average attendance for the ANZ Premiership is up 3.2%, following a 15% jump in 2024. In total, 70,236 fans attended games, including the finals. Social media presence has also increased with the official ANZ Premiership pages (not including teams) having seen a 33% increase in followers, totalling 166,500. Carruthers expects discussions to continue with broadcasters for at least a few more months. Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Silver Fern and MP Louisa Wall is unimpressed Netball New Zealand is cutting jobs at ANZ Premiership franchises, while the national side prepares for the Commonwealth Games. Wall says new chair Alastair Carruthers should be working on the sport's domestic concerns rather than travelling to Glasgow. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the future of the ANZ Premiership, new data has indicated there's significant growth in audience and engagement. Netball New Zealand has emailed staff and coaches at the Stars, Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and Mainland Tactix to say their contracts at this stage will not be extended past July 31. The ANZ Premiership is currently without a broadcast deal or competition plan for next year, and Netball New Zealand remains in discussions with the New Zealand Netball Players Association. Mystics defender Phoenix Karaka says this is better than last year - and being free-to-air has helped generate more interest in the game. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerns over the future of elite netball in the country have deepened. Netball New Zealand has written to its ANZ Premiership contractors, including staff at three franchises, to advise their fixed term contacts will not be extended. Sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to John Campbell.

Concern from Mystics shooter Maia Wilson after the latest blow delivered to three Netball New Zealand-owned ANZ Premiership franchises. Staff at the Stars, Magic, and Tactix have been told their contracts will not be renewed. The implication to players remains unclear, as does the competition's future. Wilson told Mike Hosking the Players Association is trying to get into the bargaining room with all the other parties – Netball NZ in particular. She says there's a decent alignment between the players and teams from what she's been told, but there's still uncertainty at the moment. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Okay, here's the news on the netball front. Objectively, I don't think what I'm about to tell you is good news. We've heard the administration staff of the three Netball New Zealand-owned teams, the Stars, the Magic and the Tactix, have been told their contracts are up at the end of this month and will not be renewed, at least for now, for next year. This has to call into question whether we're even going to have an ANZ Premiership next year because you can't run those three teams without those administration staff. And if you don't have those three teams, you can't run the competition. There are only three other privately owned teams in the league, making six teams in total. You can't have a competition of three teams. That's not enough to run a competition, is it? So, are we going to have the league or not? The worst-case scenario is the ANZ Premiership isn't happening next year. The best-case scenario is it is happening but Netball New Zealand can't be 100 percent sure right now. Maybe they're 80 percent sure. Maybe they're 75 percent sure. But that's not enough certainty to offer contracts because you can't afford to carry the labour costs of three teams when there's a 20 percent to 25 percent chance the competition doesn't happen. Either way, we're guessing. Do you know why we're guessing? Because, once again, the Netball New Zealand bosses are AWOL. They are apparently, at least at this stage, not doing interviews. The chief executive is in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games. The chair, Alistair Carruthers, is not in Glasgow. He's in New Zealand, at least that's what we've been told. He's not doing interviews either because Alistair Carruthers does not do interviews when the questions are likely to be a little hard. Now look, up to this point, because this has been going on for a number of months, I think we've given Netball New Zealand a fair amount of grace. We know this is a tough situation for them. We know it's been going on for a while. The game has been bleeding talent and it's been bleeding money. They needed time to turn things around. They needed time to make decisions. They had a new board and a new chief executive. They needed time. But I think they've run out of time. I think this has probably gone on too long. When you're essentially telling the administration staff who run half the teams in the competition that they won't have jobs in 10 days' time, I think it will inevitably cause the public, the players, the administrators and the fans to speculate that there may be no competition next year. And I think it requires Netball New Zealand's bosses to come on and explain to us what the hell is happening next year because right now, this doesn't look good for netball in New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The body blows keep coming for netball's ANZ Premiership as the uncertainty rolls on over what shape, if any, the competition will take next year. Administration staff at the three Netball New Zealand run franchises - the Stars, the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic and the Mainland Tactix - have been told their contracts will not be renewed at this stage. Stars general manager Jane Bennett says she received that message and says usually she'd be in the midst of player contract renewals. "Due to the uncertainty of where we're at, which we all know - we're in a difficult position where contracts can't be extended." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the breaking news story of the day, Newstalk ZB understands that staff employed by Netball New Zealand at the Stars, Magic and Tactix franchises had been sent an email from the organisation giving notice that their contracts will not be extended past the 31st of July this year at this stage. Leana de Bruin is an assistant coach for the Stars, she joined D'Arcy to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The edifice of netball's ANZ Premiership has crumbled further. Administration staff at the three Netball New Zealand-run franchises —the Stars, Magic, and Tactix— have been told their contracts will not be renewed. Players at the affected clubs were left out of the communication chain. NZ Herald's Nathan Limm told Ryan Bridge that Netball NZ has remained tight-lipped on the subject. He says it's something they saw from the organisation's previous leadership, and he's unsure when they're going to realise that saying nothing is not a good PR strategy. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ball is in Netball New Zealand's court as players and staff wait for word on the future of the ANZ PremiershipLast year's Silver Ferns coaching saga and recent board changes may have been another roadblock to locking in the ANZ PremiershipFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The ongoing uncertainty surrounding netball's ANZ Premiership looks set to remain. A group of players, along with the Netball Players Association, sat down with Netball New Zealand this week to discuss the future. No broadcast partner is signed for 2027, leaving the league in limbo. NZNPA General Manager Pippa Moore wouldn't go into the detail of the talks, but told Mike Hosking there's no simple resolution. She says it's not about the players getting a better deal, it's about making sure there's a future for the game they love. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concerns New Zealand's top netballers could be pushed to look overseas, amid concerns about the future of the nation's domestic competition. The Northern Mystics recently won the ANZ Premiership, but there's no word yet from Netball New Zealand on plans for next season. Northern Mystics goal shooter and former Silver Fern Maia Wilson says there's a lot of 'uncertainty' around the future of the sport. "It's really scary times for us as professional netballers in New Zealand. I guess, as a part of the Mystics, we've had a delay in that because we've focused on the last two weeks about having a grand final...but since the dust has started to settle on that, a lot of people are scared." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of New Zealand's best netballers are questioning the lack of transparency around the future of the professional game on Kiwi shores. It's the third year in a row that Netball New Zealand is negotiating the future of the ANZ Premiership, with players already taking a 20 percent pay cut. Silver Fern Amelia Walmsley spoke to John Campbell.

Netball New Zealand officially has a new CEO. Tātaki Auckland Unlimited deputy chairwoman Jennah Wootten has been appointed to the role, taking over from interim CEO Jane Patteron in August. Her appointment follows a troubled year for Netball NZ, including the resignation of former CEO Jennie Wyllie, the situation surrounding Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua, and their struggles to find a new broadcast deal for the ANZ Premiership. Wootten has plenty of experience in both the business and leadership side of things, and she told Mike Hosking they'll be helpful in ensuring the sport and the organisation can reach its full potential. She says there will be a focus on ensuring the grassroots game is thriving, and that the elite competition is doing incredible things, but a big focus for her coming into the role will be the commercial pressures. And one of those pressures is broadcasting, with the current ANZ Premiership deal set to end at the end of this year. Wootten told Hosking the Board and team at Netball NZ are working really hard to find a solution, but things aren't yet at a place where they can be shared publicly. “We want to make sure that we have got as many eyeballs on the sport as possible, because that helps all of us into the future.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Netball New Zealand is the latest national sporting organisation to fill its Chief Executive vacancy. Experienced sports and major events leader Jennah Wootten has been put in charge of the country's largest women's sport.

Netball New Zealand have appointed experienced administrator Jennah Wootten as their new chief executive. Wootten has held a number of roles at various organisations including Sport New Zealand, ATEED, and the 2021 women's Cricket World Cup. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hopes a tough few months at Netball New Zealand can begin to be consigned to the past as the 2026 ANZ Premiership gets underway in Wellington this afternoon. The first game between the Pulse and Magic follows an offseason with more headlines coming from boardroom than the court, with some questions still unanswered. Netball Players Association GM Pippa Moore told Piney it's been a tough time for the players, as they don't know what will happen next year, and that uncertainty is unsettling. “I think the players are in a pretty difficult position ... they've had to take a cut, but they're optimistic.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More changes have been seen at the top levels of Netball New Zealand after a disastrous 2025. Its Chair and three Board Members have made the decision to step down. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.

Outgoing Netball New Zealand chair Matt Whineray insists they will heed the lessons from the Silver Ferns coaching debacle. Whineray's ending his eight-year tenure alongside three other board members. The governing body came under intense scrutiny last year for their handling of Dame Noeline Taurua's standing down and eventual re-instatement. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Outgoing Netball New Zealand chair Matt Whineray regrets the way they communicated with the public during the drawn out Silver Ferns coaching saga. Whineray is ending his eight-year tenure alongside three others at board level. The governing body came under scrutiny last year for their handling of the standing down, and eventual re-instatement, of Dame Noeline Taurua. Whineray told Mike Hosking they had the right intentions. He says they were trying to balance the obligations they have with the need to keep people informed, but they know their communication could be better. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 18th of February, the first National Infrastructure Plan has been unveiled, and it's a sobering read. Minister Chris Bishop joined to unpack the report. Netball NZ's chair Matt Whineray is resigning from the board, along with three other members, in an end to a tumultuous time at the organisation. Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell debate the India FTA, tolling the Auckland Harbour Bridge, and the latest polls on Politics Wednesday. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a huge week in New Zealand sport - but not so much for action on the field. This morning news broke of the resignation of New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenick, which comes less than 24 hours after Netball New Zealand announced CEO Jennie Wyllie has quit. RNZ sports reporter Dana Johannsen has been across it all and joins Jesse in the studio to discuss.

The resignation of Netball New Zealand CEO Jennie Wyllie had to happen. That's the view of former New Zealand men's netball skipper and commentator Kruze Tangira. Tangira told Heather du Plessis-Allan he believes the drama around the standing down then reinstatement of head coach Dame Noeline Taurua has plagued the year. He says it started all the way back in January at the Sydney training camp, and it's taken until December for there to be a real resolution. It was unfortunate that Taurua had to lose her job and have her name tarnished in the process, Tangira told du Plessis-Allan, but change needed to happen in order to rebuild the reputation of netball within New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The uneasy truce between Netball New Zealand and Dame Noeline Taurua already appears under strain. RNZ understands the board of the national body have "started a process" to talk to Taurua about comments made during a media blitz earlier this week. Sports correspondent Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

The highly public dispute between Netball New Zealand and Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua is becoming increasingly political. Earlier today Minister for Sport and Recreation Mark Mitchell told RNZ he asked Sport New Zealand officials to step in and help resolve the dispute. But RNZ can reveal they have been involved from the outset. High Performance Sport New Zealand has footed the bill for an independent review of the Ferns programme as well as player safeguarding measures - even as the coach at the centre of the crisis remains on the agency's board. Sports correspondent Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

The fallout from the Silver Ferns coaching saga has deepened over the past 24 hours after selector Gail Parata revealed she's resigned in protest over Netball New Zealand's treatment of Dame Noeline Taurua. Amid another flurry of headlines, the Silver Ferns flew out to Melbourne today ahead of their Constellation Cup opener on Friday. Sports correspondent Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Silver Ferns are trying to put off court dramas to one side as they prepare for what will be their toughest test series this year. Over the weekend Netball New Zealand announced that coach Dame Noeline Taurua was being suspended for the rest of 2025, less than two weeks before a series against Australia. Sports Reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.

Dame Noeline Taurua has been in negotiations with Netball New Zealand today to see whether she'll be able to coach the Silver Ferns again. Taurua and her coaching team were stood down ahead of the Taini Jamison series earlier this month, in what was a bombshell announcement from Netball New Zealand. With the Silver Ferns heading into their next camp on October 6, the clock is ticking to try and find a resolution and break what appears to be a deadlock between Taurua, the Players' Association and Netball New Zealand. Sports correspondent Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.