Louisa Wall: Rugby-style rewards for netball?

Comparing Irene van Dyk to Jonah Lomu is not such a foreign concept. Comparing the status of each in their chosen codes is quite relevant.

They both at some point were regarded as the best in the world in their positions - and some would argue that the Magic's van Dyk still holds such status.

The status accorded them from their respective oppositions over the years has likely been similar.

Some commentators have had a real go at van Dyk's manager, Louise Newcombe, for asking a reported $1.45 million to shift to the Shakers, with one labelling it ridiculous.

Tana Umaga's manager said the demands for a sign-on fee, annual payments and sponsorships/endorsements for van Dyk to be an ambassador for Wellington were comparable to the packages for the top three or four All Blacks, therefore they were unrealistic.

Why is that? Oh, that's right. Van Dyk is, after all, only a sportswoman and this is New Zealand.

Former Sting board member Lee Piper, too, almost missed the boat. Van Dyk's playing fee was to be only $170,000 over two years.

The other component of the proposed package was a sole-agency agreement that sponsor Mahoney Corporation would broker for sponsorships and endorsements that could total $500,000 a year.

One wonders what Dan Carter is making from his endorsement of Bendon products and what Andrew Mehrtens was paid as ambassador for Christchurch.

Obviously, both of these examples fit outside negotiated All Black, Crusader and Canterbury playing contracts.

What is ironic about other reported comments from Piper is that, like the Crusaders, the Sting have strategically made some excellent player acquisitions over the years that some would say had won them their titles.

The fact that other franchises need to buy players to win the National Bank Cup is part of the reality that the Sting have created, and now to ask Netball New Zealand to regulate the market is rather rich.

However, of Piper's contributions, this point does have some validity. NNZ should ensure an equitable distribution of our international-class players and a salary cap to ensure all franchises are competitive.

Otherwise, entrenched franchises like the Sting will continue to dominate as they have the systems and resources to keep strategically purchasing players who will ensure they continue to win. (The Sting's latest acquisition is Belinda Colling.)

In a way, it was good of Mahoney Corporation to try to buy van Dyk - and Vili Davu, Jody Te Huna and Maria Tutaia. With them in the team they would have been a pretty good bet to win the title.

So, maybe some good can come from this debate, and I for one think that credit is due to Newcombe for asserting the value of female athletes such as van Dyk.

Sports managers usually get a cut of the negotiated contract and, although $150,000 may seem a lot, just over 10 per cent does not seem so outrageous.

The standard National Football League agent fee is 3 per cent, which may not seem like much, but obviously it is all relative to what the contract is worth.