Current season, competition or edition: 2017 Suncorp Super Netball season |
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Sport | Netball |
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Founded | 2016 |
Inaugural season | 2017 |
Motto | All On The Line |
No. of teams | 8 |
Country | Australia |
TV partner(s) | Nine Network |
Sponsor(s) | Suncorp Group |
Level on pyramid | 1 |
Official website | http://supernetball.com.au/ |
Suncorp Super Netball (also known non-commercially as the National Netball League) is the premier netball league in Australia. The inaugural season commenced in February 2017.
In 2008, Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand joined forces and created a Trans-Tasman league, the ANZ Championship as a successor to the Commonwealth Bank Trophy in Australia and the National Bank Cup in New Zealand, both of which were retired after 2007. The ANZ Championship saw netball become a semi-professional sport in both countries, with increased media coverage and player salaries. The 2016 season was the last of the competition, as Netball Australia looked to create a nationally exclusive league with a significantly improved broadcasting and media deal. This instigated the creation of Suncorp Super Netball, announced in May 2016. The new league consists of the five current Australian ANZ Championship teams; the Adelaide Thunderbirds, Melbourne Vixens, NSW Swifts, Queensland Firebirds and West Coast Fever, in addition to three new teams, the Collingwood Magpies, Giants Netball and Sunshine Coast Lightning. The three new teams are owned and operated by three clubs in the popular Australian Football League and National Rugby League football codes. The New Zealand successor to the previous ANZ Championship is the ANZ Premiership.