Netball: Format due for a make-over

A longer competition with more games is on the cards when netball's National Bank Cup gets a make-over for the 2008 season.

But the exact shape of the new format is still up in the air, with the Netball New Zealand board due to make its decision by the end of the year.

Netball NZ today released the main findings of an independent review into the domestic franchise-based cup.

The review, by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, produced three broad options for change.

The first was an enhanced version of the current competition.

The second involved playoffs between the top New Zealand and Australian sides, and the third was a fully fledged trans-Tasman competition.

Input from the eight franchises, the regions, players, coaches and others was sought during the review.

Netball NZ chairman Don Mackinnon said the view of the vast majority of people spoken to was that, while the cup had been a success, change was needed to ensure the growth of netball.

Mackinnon said possibilities under option one included extending the single round-robin to 1-1/2 rounds or a double round-robin.

"Inevitably, it must involved more games," he said.

"One of the requests we've had from our franchises is they need more home matches."

Mackinnon said the cup was seen as an extremely popular competition with a high standard of play.

But the brevity of the season put plenty of demands on the franchises.

"It's very short, it very intense, but its shortness affects the ability to attract sponsors."

On the prospects of a link with Australia, Mackinnon said Netball Australia had been "very interested and very positive" about the idea.

"They've been very keen to investigate the viability of it and they are as keen as we are in carrying out that investigation."

But he also cautioned that, while the review spoke of the many benefits of a trans-Tasman competition, it also made it clear that there would be many challenges in getting one up and running.

The National Bank Cup, which has been staged since 1998, will remain in its present form next season.

Mackinnon said the review had given Netball NZ a base from which to determine the best structure after that.

Over the coming months, work would continue with Australian officials over assessing the trans-Tasman options.

There would also be working parties with the franchises and discussions with other stakeholders over issues raised in the review.

- NZPA