August 8, 2025 • 10 mins
Netball in New Zealand is entering a new era of uncertainty, with the ANZ Premiership's 17-year TV rights deal with Sky TV falling through, and Netball New Zealand needing to pay TVNZ to screen next year's competition.
With the door open to top Silver Ferns being given exemptions to play their domestic netball overseas, questions have been raised over what a new look competition will look like.
Central Pulse and Netball Central CEO Ann Hay joined Adam Cooper to discuss where things sit from the Pulse's perspective.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's eight past nine and plenty of uncertainty around the
sports of netball at the moment. Obviously, the deal with SkyTV,
which has been worth millions to Netball New Zealand over
many many years, has come to an end. SkyTV not
going to be screening the Netball A and Z Premiership
this season, so that's created a fair bit of uncertainty
(00:20):
around this year. TV and Z instead will broadcast next
year's A and Z Premiership free to air, but it's
been revealed in the last couple of weeks as well
that's rather than receiving a TV rights fee to broadcast
the netball that Netble New Zealand are actually paying TV
(00:42):
and Z to air the competition next year. So it's
in quite a fall from grace for this competition and
what it means. So there's also uncertainty around players and weather.
The loss of revenue as a result of this change
in TV deal will see players head over to Australia,
given now that some silver fans will be given exemptions
(01:06):
to play their domestic netball around the world and not
in New Zealand. So what does this all mean locally
here in Wellington? For the Central Pulse because as we know,
the Pulse are a very successful franchise. They are up
there with the Mystic says the most successful two franchises
and the history of the domestic league since twenty seventeen.
(01:26):
The Central Poles get record crowds and sell out crowds
most weeks to their home games. So when you look
at it like that, Netball here and Wellington still appears
to be in a good space, but then the wider
context of it, the sport seems to be in a
little bit of trouble. So let's find out how the
Central Pulse are kind of in all this mix at
(01:47):
the moment. Their CEO is Anne Hay who's also the
Netball Central Zone CEO and is with us now morning
to you, and and I mentioned before, you know, purely
results on the court, even that the Central Pulse another
wrong year, making the playoffs, just falling at the final
couple of hurdles. Your second division team and the Manawa
team in the B competition was a finalist again this year.
(02:11):
They've been a very successful team continuously as well. So
when you look back on the year, you're happy with
what the Central Pulse and the wider Netball Zone achieved
through the course of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yeah. Absolutely, we're really proud, you know, of our Manowa
team making that final. Only next eight finals out of
ten that that that team has made, and they are
a really important part of our overall strategy in Central
Zone to develop young players. So we're really we're really
pleased with them, and once again, the posted remarkable job.
(02:48):
They had a few ups and downs over the season.
They had obviously some injuries and unexpected things has often happened,
but you know, once again, really proud of the resilience
that that group of play has showed to be able
to come back and make that elimination final exactly.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
And I know a men's program was launched this year
as well, which I'm sure has been an exciting development
for the Central Zone two.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, So we were approached by a group
of teen people to say, what are your thoughts on
having a Central Zone men's team, and we said absolutely,
let to look at this. That was really late in
the pre season time when we started having those discussions,
so we cobbled together what we could, but my gosh,
(03:32):
that group of young men were exceptional in their performance,
their professionalism, their fitness and they really embodied embodied the
zone values, so it was great to see.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
I mean, obviously netball has been in the headlines the
last few weeks in particular, but I guess there has
been sort of that lingering uncertainty right through the season
as to know what's the future of the a Z
Premiership beyond this year and that the current rights deal
with Sky. But I just want to ask more specifically
about I guess the way you see it and the
fan base and interest in netball from the Pulse's perspective,
(04:05):
because we see the crowds that pack into tesp Arena,
we see the support that the teams have on social
media and things like that. For you, you know, where
is the sport at or the relationship out between so
that the Pulse and the Wellington and wider region.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Public at the moment, Yeah, yeah, we were very pleased
with both our fan engagement coming to games. We had
sell out stadiums more than we've had in previous years,
so definitely a step up there and our social media.
We're going to have some stories coming out about that
in the coming weeks, but absolutely exceeding all expectations and
(04:45):
previous breach on social media, so that we definitely have
a committed fan base, which we totally appreciate in terms.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Of how we're feeling about the future. Looks some really
exciting stuff that we've been go forward worth.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
With our free to air.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
All games thread the air next year, that presents some
massive opportunities for us, which we really need to think
about and start working on how we maximize those. So
when we look at that, we know that in previous
times when netble was free to air, our netballers were
true household names and that's what we'll be aiming for
next year. We need, we need all of New Zealand
(05:24):
to get behind netball and there have been some aspects
in our community that haven't haven't been accessible to them,
so this totally increases accessibility, which presents some massive opportunities
for potential partners for us as well, so.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
We're very excited about that.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
We also know that, you know, like anything, there's cycles,
and were kindt coming to the end of of a cycle.
There's going to be some change next year with that
three to air. Also with you know, some players who
may not be involved in our AMZ Premiership next year
for multiple reasons, and we often see that in cycles
(06:03):
as well, so once again it's another opportunity to go
what's next.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah, and that was going to sort of form a
key question of mind this morning as well. And I
know a lot of these decisions haven't been made yet
by players or the club or whatever, but as it
realistic for Polse fans to expect some of those top
players just to not be at the club.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Next year, yeah, I think you know, we know that
there is good exemption process, and we know that some
of our players have been really wanting to experience something different.
And when we look at our group of players, there
are a group of young women who when we look
at non nebulers, are experiencing oees. So we know that
(06:45):
there's a group of players here that are going, hey,
we just want to experience something a little bit different.
And so I think you can expect to see some
change and over the coming weeks that will become much better.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
So and at the moment, as you said, social media
engagement and intro in teams like the pulse is really strong.
We know that crowd numbers are still really good, with
sell out crowds pretty much right through the season for you.
So I mean Is it surprising for you that we're
having to have this debate around who's going to be
broadcasting netball given this seemingly is still a fair bit
of interest around.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
It's been surprising to me that we haven't had that
in the past. Actually would be my would be that
we are the sports, a sport for females that is
played by more females than any other sports in the country,
So we should have a massive following. We should have
said engagement, and I think where we've got to visit
(07:39):
that we've had that quarter action to those to our
netballers and our netball fans to really engage with us,
and I think that's where that success has been and
I think going forward we need to continue to grow
that and push there.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
How is sort of play numbers and things around there
the wider Wellington and Central zone. At the moment, we
know it's you know, it's a competitive competitive propositions sort
of winter sports and different codes.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Yeah, we're still collating some of our membership numbers for
this year. But you know, one of the great stories
from last year when we've you know wrapped up all
our membership was there was a over the central zone
there was an eleven percent increase in secondary school participation,
which is massive. You know, that's really buffing that trend
for secondary school players who are often there's a there's
(08:27):
a drop off, So we're really pleased to see that.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
And in your role, you know you mentioned that you
know it's one cycle ending, another one beginning. How how
best can the polls Neple Central and all the other
zones and teams around the country in the say as
Premiership best whether this some might call it a storm,
how can they best? How do you feel your you're
equip to best get through it?
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Yeah, and I think that the key to that is
having all of the teams work together and net Bourne
zeal And it's a really clear strategy and vision of
what we're trying to achieve. We know that the massive
opportunities with more eyeballs on the game through the free
to air games to attract some new people to the game,
(09:09):
and we really need to look at what that product
is that we get out there in terms of entertainment,
but also the intensity of the game, the excitement, the
closeness of the games. So that will come down to
how each of us prepare our team for an exciting
competition next year, and I know.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
There'll be a lot of Polse fans at the moment
and probably refreshing the social media channels or news websites
thinking I ready want to find out who's going to
be at the Pulse next year, who might be leaving?
When do you expect there to be some maybe you know,
clarity around player movements and things like that. Is that
you know sooner rather than later or do you expect
that to still play out, you know, fir for quite
some time.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Oh, we'll definitely have some clarity over the next couple
of weeks. They'll be so contracting only opens this coming Monday,
and we'll have some social media announcements throughout the next
two and three weeks. So our fans will definitely know
by the end of this month who our team for
twenty twenty six is.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Well, they'll be excited for that. And thanks for filling
us in. I know it's you know, it's a difficult
time for all on the sport, and you know, in
many aspects it's great that the Central pulses and is
in good shape to have a very big twenty twenty six.
So I really appreciate your time and the information you've
given us, and certainly a case of watch the space,
isn't it it?
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Sure? And thank you for your time today to Adam.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
For more from News Talks ed B, listen live on
air or online, and
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcasts on IR Radio
It's eight past nine and plenty of uncertainty around the
sports of netball at the moment. Obviously, the deal with SkyTV,
which has been worth millions to Netball New Zealand over
many many years, has come to an end. SkyTV not
going to be screening the Netball A and Z Premiership
this season, so that's created a fair bit of uncertainty
(00:20):
around this year. TV and Z instead will broadcast next
year's A and Z Premiership free to air, but it's
been revealed in the last couple of weeks as well
that's rather than receiving a TV rights fee to broadcast
the netball that Netble New Zealand are actually paying TV
(00:42):
and Z to air the competition next year. So it's
in quite a fall from grace for this competition and
what it means. So there's also uncertainty around players and weather.
The loss of revenue as a result of this change
in TV deal will see players head over to Australia,
given now that some silver fans will be given exemptions
(01:06):
to play their domestic netball around the world and not
in New Zealand. So what does this all mean locally
here in Wellington? For the Central Pulse because as we know,
the Pulse are a very successful franchise. They are up
there with the Mystic says the most successful two franchises
and the history of the domestic league since twenty seventeen.
(01:26):
The Central Poles get record crowds and sell out crowds
most weeks to their home games. So when you look
at it like that, Netball here and Wellington still appears
to be in a good space, but then the wider
context of it, the sport seems to be in a
little bit of trouble. So let's find out how the
Central Pulse are kind of in all this mix at
(01:47):
the moment. Their CEO is Anne Hay who's also the
Netball Central Zone CEO and is with us now morning
to you, and and I mentioned before, you know, purely
results on the court, even that the Central Pulse another
wrong year, making the playoffs, just falling at the final
couple of hurdles. Your second division team and the Manawa
team in the B competition was a finalist again this year.
(02:11):
They've been a very successful team continuously as well. So
when you look back on the year, you're happy with
what the Central Pulse and the wider Netball Zone achieved
through the course of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yeah. Absolutely, we're really proud, you know, of our Manowa
team making that final. Only next eight finals out of
ten that that that team has made, and they are
a really important part of our overall strategy in Central
Zone to develop young players. So we're really we're really
pleased with them, and once again, the posted remarkable job.
(02:48):
They had a few ups and downs over the season.
They had obviously some injuries and unexpected things has often happened,
but you know, once again, really proud of the resilience
that that group of play has showed to be able
to come back and make that elimination final exactly.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
And I know a men's program was launched this year
as well, which I'm sure has been an exciting development
for the Central Zone two.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, So we were approached by a group
of teen people to say, what are your thoughts on
having a Central Zone men's team, and we said absolutely,
let to look at this. That was really late in
the pre season time when we started having those discussions,
so we cobbled together what we could, but my gosh,
(03:32):
that group of young men were exceptional in their performance,
their professionalism, their fitness and they really embodied embodied the
zone values, so it was great to see.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
I mean, obviously netball has been in the headlines the
last few weeks in particular, but I guess there has
been sort of that lingering uncertainty right through the season
as to know what's the future of the a Z
Premiership beyond this year and that the current rights deal
with Sky. But I just want to ask more specifically
about I guess the way you see it and the
fan base and interest in netball from the Pulse's perspective,
(04:05):
because we see the crowds that pack into tesp Arena,
we see the support that the teams have on social
media and things like that. For you, you know, where
is the sport at or the relationship out between so
that the Pulse and the Wellington and wider region.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Public at the moment, Yeah, yeah, we were very pleased
with both our fan engagement coming to games. We had
sell out stadiums more than we've had in previous years,
so definitely a step up there and our social media.
We're going to have some stories coming out about that
in the coming weeks, but absolutely exceeding all expectations and
(04:45):
previous breach on social media, so that we definitely have
a committed fan base, which we totally appreciate in terms.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Of how we're feeling about the future. Looks some really
exciting stuff that we've been go forward worth.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
With our free to air.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
All games thread the air next year, that presents some
massive opportunities for us, which we really need to think
about and start working on how we maximize those. So
when we look at that, we know that in previous
times when netble was free to air, our netballers were
true household names and that's what we'll be aiming for
next year. We need, we need all of New Zealand
(05:24):
to get behind netball and there have been some aspects
in our community that haven't haven't been accessible to them,
so this totally increases accessibility, which presents some massive opportunities
for potential partners for us as well, so.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
We're very excited about that.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
We also know that, you know, like anything, there's cycles,
and were kindt coming to the end of of a cycle.
There's going to be some change next year with that
three to air. Also with you know, some players who
may not be involved in our AMZ Premiership next year
for multiple reasons, and we often see that in cycles
(06:03):
as well, so once again it's another opportunity to go
what's next.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah, and that was going to sort of form a
key question of mind this morning as well. And I
know a lot of these decisions haven't been made yet
by players or the club or whatever, but as it
realistic for Polse fans to expect some of those top
players just to not be at the club.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Next year, yeah, I think you know, we know that
there is good exemption process, and we know that some
of our players have been really wanting to experience something different.
And when we look at our group of players, there
are a group of young women who when we look
at non nebulers, are experiencing oees. So we know that
(06:45):
there's a group of players here that are going, hey,
we just want to experience something a little bit different.
And so I think you can expect to see some
change and over the coming weeks that will become much better.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
So and at the moment, as you said, social media
engagement and intro in teams like the pulse is really strong.
We know that crowd numbers are still really good, with
sell out crowds pretty much right through the season for you.
So I mean Is it surprising for you that we're
having to have this debate around who's going to be
broadcasting netball given this seemingly is still a fair bit
of interest around.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
It's been surprising to me that we haven't had that
in the past. Actually would be my would be that
we are the sports, a sport for females that is
played by more females than any other sports in the country,
So we should have a massive following. We should have
said engagement, and I think where we've got to visit
(07:39):
that we've had that quarter action to those to our
netballers and our netball fans to really engage with us,
and I think that's where that success has been and
I think going forward we need to continue to grow
that and push there.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
How is sort of play numbers and things around there
the wider Wellington and Central zone. At the moment, we
know it's you know, it's a competitive competitive propositions sort
of winter sports and different codes.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Yeah, we're still collating some of our membership numbers for
this year. But you know, one of the great stories
from last year when we've you know wrapped up all
our membership was there was a over the central zone
there was an eleven percent increase in secondary school participation,
which is massive. You know, that's really buffing that trend
for secondary school players who are often there's a there's
(08:27):
a drop off, So we're really pleased to see that.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
And in your role, you know you mentioned that you
know it's one cycle ending, another one beginning. How how
best can the polls Neple Central and all the other
zones and teams around the country in the say as
Premiership best whether this some might call it a storm,
how can they best? How do you feel your you're
equip to best get through it?
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Yeah, and I think that the key to that is
having all of the teams work together and net Bourne
zeal And it's a really clear strategy and vision of
what we're trying to achieve. We know that the massive
opportunities with more eyeballs on the game through the free
to air games to attract some new people to the game,
(09:09):
and we really need to look at what that product
is that we get out there in terms of entertainment,
but also the intensity of the game, the excitement, the
closeness of the games. So that will come down to
how each of us prepare our team for an exciting
competition next year, and I know.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
There'll be a lot of Polse fans at the moment
and probably refreshing the social media channels or news websites
thinking I ready want to find out who's going to
be at the Pulse next year, who might be leaving?
When do you expect there to be some maybe you know,
clarity around player movements and things like that. Is that
you know sooner rather than later or do you expect
that to still play out, you know, fir for quite
some time.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Oh, we'll definitely have some clarity over the next couple
of weeks. They'll be so contracting only opens this coming Monday,
and we'll have some social media announcements throughout the next
two and three weeks. So our fans will definitely know
by the end of this month who our team for
twenty twenty six is.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Well, they'll be excited for that. And thanks for filling
us in. I know it's you know, it's a difficult
time for all on the sport, and you know, in
many aspects it's great that the Central pulses and is
in good shape to have a very big twenty twenty six.
So I really appreciate your time and the information you've
given us, and certainly a case of watch the space,
isn't it it?
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Sure? And thank you for your time today to Adam.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
For more from News Talks ed B, listen live on
air or online, and
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcasts on IR Radio
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