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Talks between Super Netball players and Netball Australia have broken down over a new Collective Player Agreement, according to the Australian Netball Players Association.
- Super Netball players are concerned over the lack of clarity over the vision and finances for the game, according to the Australian Netball Players Association
- The ANPA have called for mediation with Netball Australia, saying talks over a new Collective Player Agreement have broken down
- The ANPA has told Netball Australia that players have assigned their intellectual property rights to the association
The ANPA said players believed they had "bent over backwards" to make significant concessions, without similar moves from Netball Australia — they called for mediation to achieve a breakthrough.
The association said Netball Australia had rejected a players proposal which included among other details a real partnership between players and administrators, a hybrid revenue share / profit share model, fair and affordable minimum remuneration for players.
"We cannot in good conscience lock players into an unfair three-year deal which does not reflect their value and contribution," the ANPA said in a statement.
"What the players are saying is 'we'd like to share in the good times we help build and and we will share in the risk when times get tough'."
Among players' concerns were the lack of clarity about the game's finances and the strategic direction for netball.
Netball's State of the Game report was released in 2020, making a series of recommendations.
These included the establishment of an aligned vision for the sport, creating a high-performance working group that improved diversity and aligned player pathways with the elite level, and defining the commercial role of its Super Netball competition.
The ANPA said netball needed "a true partnership with its players, a clear strategy and financial transparency", as recommended by the report.
"We ask all sponsors, broadcasters, and supporters of netball to understand the reasonable and modest position of the players and our desire to be true partners in the sport."
The players association also said it had informed Netball Australia that the players had assigned their intellectual property rights to the ANPA.
"We will now meet with players to discuss the management and use of [the intellectual property rights] until a new CPA can be agreed," the ANPA said.
Netball Australia released a statement expressing its frustration with the ANPA's position.
"Netball Australia and the [Super Netball] clubs are not opposed to mediation, but we are concerned beginning the process at this late stage would extend this already lengthy process and continue to delay the stability and certainty all parties seek," Netball Australia said.
"Under the latest offer, Netball Australia would increase its investment by $1.275 million – a 20 per cent boost across the three-year deal – on top of the earning potential of a profit-share partnership model.
"This is without any forecast material increase in the sport's revenue in the short term, given the current broadcast deal runs until 2026."
Netball Australia said that under the proposal, players would receive a base wage increase of nine per cent over three years — and the salary cap would increase by three per cent.
Players would also receive for the first time a share in Netball Australia's profits generated by the Super Netball league.
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