Super Netball players have secured a new pay deal that includes sharing revenue with Netball Australia (NA) for the first time, ending a stalemate that has seen players go unpaid for two months and the exit of former NA chief executive Kelly Ryan.
The three-year Collective Player Agreement (CPA) was announced on Wednesday and increases minimum pay for athletes from $40,000 to $46,000 over the term of the deal. The average potential salary will be $89,000 under the new agreement. Overall players will be paid 11 per cent more over the three years, and will receive backpay for the period since 1 October when the previous deal ended.
Interim NA chief executive Stacey West said the deal - which includes license agreements for the eight Super Netball teams beyond the term of the deal - provided certainty for the league and “will set up netball for future success and ensure financial stability for the sport”.
A share of revenue for players was included in the deal for the first time. Under the agreement, players will receive 20% of sponsorship above what NA forecasts. In theory, it means players have a financial incentive to contribute to marketing the sport.
Australian Netball Players’ Association chief executive Kathryn Harby-Williams said it was a “historic day for netball players and for the sport”.
“It’s a day when revenue sharing enters netball for the first time with all of the benefits this brings,” Harby-Williams said. “The operating model for netball has changed for the better, particularly at a time when there is competition for talented female athletes, many of whom come through the netball ranks.
“Netball is now a sport which incentivises players and administrators alike to grow the game for the benefit of all who love and invest in it. This is a stepping stone to even greater things for the sport.”
Players in the Super Netball competition are paid over the entire year, even though the season typically runs from March to July. They are given time during the week to continue working or studying, allowing them to continue as elite athletes as well as pursue off-court ambitions.
The deal means the signing period for Super Netball can formally commence, with the window due to open at 4pm AEDT on Wednesday.
Ryan resigned on Tuesday following criticism of the sport’s administration by some in the game, including former Diamonds captain Liz Ellis.
