Sponsorship saviour comes to Netball Australia’s rescue

Netball Australia has signed a $15 million sponsorship deal with Visit Victoria, days after mining giant Hancock Prospecting dropped its support.

Under the deal, which will run until June 2027, the Diamonds will adopt Victorian branding for home and away games, and players and coaches will front tourism campaigns.

Captain Liz Watson and Jamie-Lee Price of Australia celebrate with the Constellation Cup following their recent win over the Silver Ferns.
Photo: Photosport

The 2023 Super Netball Grand Final will also be played in Victoria and the Diamonds will play test matches and hold training camps in Victoria between 2023 and 2026.

Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan said Visit Victoria was one of several potential sponsors that reached out after Hancock Prospecting’s deal fell through.

She said the Visit Victoria deal was “unlike any that we’ve done before” and was “very different” to the support offered from the mining company.

“So [they] cannot be compared in any way, shape or form, they’re two very, very different partnerships,” she said.

“And this partnership values the content that we offer, so everything from pathway events, through to the elite competition.”

Earlier this month, Hancock Prospecting announced it would withdraw $15 million in funding from Netball Australia following a player backlash against the sponsorship.

The Diamonds line up for the national anthems ahead of the opening Constellation Cup.
Photo: Aaron Gillions / www.photosport.nz

Indigenous player Donnell Wallam has not spoken publicly about the issue, but reportedly expressed concern over abhorrent, racist views expressed by Hancock Prospecting’s founder, Lang Hancock.

In 1984, Mr Hancock suggested parts of the Aboriginal community should be sterilised so they would “breed themselves out”.

The company’s executive chairman, Gina Rinehart, has not publicly addressed her father’s views since the sponsorship controversy emerged.

Netball Australia is reportedly around $7 million in debt, as players fight for increased wages.

Ms Ryan said there had been a “huge amount of dialogue” between Netball Australia and Hancock Prospecting in the past few weeks and each understood the other’s position.

She acknowledged Ms Rinehart had been an “incredible backer” of the sport.

“So we’ve certainly kept in contact and made sure that we’ve ended the partnership as best we can,” she said.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the deal was a “coup” for the state’s tourism campaign, and that Visit Victoria had fought hard to edge out interstate competition.

“We are the sporting and major events capital of our nation … to be able to have the world’s very best netball team wearing our logo, projecting all that we offer to the world and the rest of the country, is absolutely fantastic,” he said.

-ABC