Jennie Wylie adamant new netball broadcast deal will satisfy players despite reduced schedule

Netball New Zealand CEO Jennie Wyllie. Photo / Photosport

Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennie Wyllie has refused to confirm whether her organisation has been low-balled by Sky and TVNZ in signing a one-year broadcast deal for 2025.

The contract secures the short-term future of the ANZ Premiership, which will be reduced from 45 games down to 30, but a question mark remains over 2026 and beyond.

Reports suggested Sky had offered Netball New Zealand (NNZ) a contract worth only half of its current deal, which would drastically impact ongoing player salary negotiations.

“I think what we’re comparing are quite different commercial arrangements,” Wylie told Newstalk ZB. “What’s been important for us is to ensure we have something that allows us to step into 2025 with comfort for all of our stakeholders and that’s what we’ve got.”

Collective bargaining negotiations over player salaries are expected to finish in six to eight weeks. Wyllie is adamant the new deal will satisfy players, who were left in the dark around their future.

“We’re not going to discuss the commercial arrangements but we’ve got a lot of comfort that what we’re doing is going to allow us to reach new markets and be accessible to all our fans.”

The new 30-match format will be a two-round, home-and-away structure with two finals fixtures, meaning teams play one another twice instead of three times in the regular season.

“That’s based on a whole lot of research and feedback from players, coaches and management around how we have the optimal framework for the competition going forward,” said Wyllie.

The New Zealand Netball Players’ Association has expressed sadness at the short-term nature of the new broadcast deal.

Players’ Association boss Steph Bond said while there is some relief, the future of the competition beyond 2026 remains up in the air.

“I guess it’s a little disappointing it is only one year, but at the same time it has now given the players some certainty for the next 18 months,” she said. “Now it really does provide an opportunity for the sport and Sky to look closely at how we shape the future of the game.”

Wyllie said NNZ wanted to think further ahead, but needed to give clarity for 2025.

“We have gated the discussions and have a programme of work with our partners for what 2026 and beyond will look like, over the next six months.”

The Players’ Association is in support of reducing the ANZ Premiership’s length by a third. Bond said the financial impact on the players is yet to be determined, but the move makes sense.

“A two-round competition is actually probably better from a fan perspective and potentially from a player perspective too because playing a team three times can potentially not be that entertaining.”

Wyllie has revealed Netball New Zealand has had talks with Netball Australia about merging the ANZ Premiership with Super Netball.

Reports emerged of the governing body asking for three franchise licences, which - if granted - would end New Zealand’s domestic competition as we know it.

Wyllie said the talks with Netball Australia have not gone very far.

“We talk with them about a raft of things and certainly our domestic product is one of those, but it’s certainly not a conversation that we’ve delved into any depth with them on.”

Bond said the Players’ Association has refused to properly contemplate a merger this far out from 2026.

“It’s too early to say if we’re in support of that. I don’t even think it’s an option that’s sitting right on the table at the moment, so it’s something I think will play out over the next 18 months.”

Nathan Limm has been a journalist with Newstalk ZB and the NZ Herald since 2020. Limm covered the Netball World Cup in South Africa, the World Rally Championship in New Zealand, hosts The Big League Podcast and commentates Super Rugby Pacific and NPC. Growing up, he was never far from the footy field or the cricket nets and fostered a deep passion for sports media and broadcasting.