Netball globally is seeing a steady rise and growth, we are seeing more countries move towards professionalisation of the sport. More players acquiring lucrative deals in the prominent leagues around the world.
As we watch the sport thrive, England Netball is planning to take the Netball Super League to new heights. They’ve announced a move to relaunch the NSL as part of a plan to professionalize the division from 2025.
For years now, England Netball has been finding ways to professionalize the league, In 2021 they commissioned an independent review with stakeholders across the sport, including Clubs, the Netball Players Association and its members, and other partners, and helped shaped a long-term roadmap for the development of the domestic game.
Following the successful Netball World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa, there is significant momentum and interest in netball, and in women’s sport more broadly.
Super League managing director Claire Nelson, who was appointed earlier this year, said in a statement: “After a watershed summer of unprecedented growth in visibility and interest for women’s sport as a whole, in which netball in particular has experienced historic new levels of success on and off the court, the time is right to capitalise on the sport’s popularity and transform the domestic game.
“The relaunch of the NSL presents an unprecedented opportunity to reimagine and engineer what professional netball can and should look like here in the UK.
Claire Nelson, Super League Managing Director
“We know that netball has huge potential in the women’s sport and entertainment arena, and we have the drive and vision to fully unlock it in order to position the NSL as a pioneering, exciting and game-changing proposition within the sports market.”
The revamp is also inspired after England Roses won a historic silver medal at the 2023 showpiece.
The current Super League is made up of 10 teams with the 2024 season, set to be the last in its current guise, beginning in February and running until June.
England Netball chief executive Fran Connolly said: “Transformational yet sustainable change will take time, but we believe that going through a tender process will enable us to set new standards for the future and ensure we deliver a competitive league with clubs that are ready and able to embrace the professional era.
Loughborough Lightning won the 2023 Super League, beating London Pulse in the final.
From Tuesday 10th October 2023), England Netball is welcoming existing clubs who believe they can play their part in bringing this exciting new era to life, along with new interested parties, to express their interest to tender to participate in the relaunched league from Season 2025.
Liz Bloor, Managing Director at the Netball Players Association added: “We are thrilled to be part of this exciting and ambitious moment for our sport, the start of a progressive plan to build a professional future for netball.
Photo Caption: The Loughborough Lightning team won the 2023 Netball Super League title at Copper Box Arena on Sunday, 11 June 2023. Photo: Loughborough Sport on Instagram
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