Netball New Zealand says key elements of a proposed private domestic league changed from the original terms agreed with investors Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams, ultimately prompting its board to pull the plug on the deal.
RNZ revealed on Friday Netball NZ had abandoned plans to privatise the elite competition, just eight weeks after signing a non-binding term sheet with the high-profile couple.
The collapse of the deal has blindsided players already facing months of uncertainty over their professional futures, but the national body says it is already working on an alternative pathway to ensure an elite domestic competition can go ahead in 2027.
Mowbray and Williams said they were devastated by the decision, claiming they had been given no explanation for Netball NZ’s decision to walk away.
Netball NZ says it has a plan B after plug pulled on privately run league
However, speaking to RNZ on Monday, Netball NZ chief executive Jennah Wootten said it had become clear that, “despite throwing everything we could at this negotiation process”, an agreement could not be reached.
She said the “principles and objectives” Netball NZ had established at the beginning of the process, and which were reflected in the term sheet, needed to remain central to any final agreement.
“A number of the things that I talked about when the term sheet was signed in regards to features of the likely future arrangement had shifted,” Wootten said.
“Some of those shifts were okay and some of those shifts the Netball New Zealand board felt comfortable with, but others the board did not feel comfortable with.”
Asked if she believed Mowbray and Williams had breached the spirit of the initial agreement, Wootten responded:
“I do genuinely believe we all went into this process in good faith and we were all genuinely optimistic about what we thought we could achieve together. Sometimes over time and when you get into these detailed negotiations, things can change. And I respect that they had views and perspectives that they felt really strongly about, but so too did Netball New Zealand.”
Mowbray and Williams emerged as potential saviours of the sport’s elite competition earlier this year, offering a lifeline with a proposal to establish a privately owned franchise league.
Originally pitched for 2028, the plan was accelerated to allow a minimum five-team competition to launch in 2027. The proposed league was intended to bring much-needed private investment into a competition Netball NZ could no longer afford to run in its existing form.
After weighing up its options, Netball NZ announced at the beginning of September that it had selected the Mowbray-Williams proposal as its preferred option, with the parties signing a non-binding term sheet.
At the time of the announcement, Netball NZ said the investors would hold the licence for the competition and its franchises, while the national body would retain a governance role on the board established to oversee the new league.
The parties were then expected to work towards a long-form agreement covering franchise licences, the competition window, league format, and commercial and broadcast arrangements.
Wootten declined to elaborate on the specific areas of disagreement, pointing to confidentiality agreements in place. But she said the board had a responsibility to put the future of the sport, its participants and players ahead of the difficulties involved in ending negotiations.
“Ultimately that was all about ensuring the strong, safe future of netball in this country and you’ve got to make these decisions with the best long-term interests of the sport and the participants and the players at the heart.”
Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams emerged as potential saviours of netball’s elite competition earlier this year.
RNZ
RNZ has sought comment from Mowbray and Williams on Netball NZ’s characterisation of negotiations. A spokesperson for the Mowbray said the couple were not available for an interview on Monday.
However, in a statement released to media on Friday, the high profile couple, who own a 15 per cent stake in A-League club Auckland FC, said the news came out of the blue.
“Ali and I gave this everything. Our time, our money and our hearts. We did it because we’ve seen what a team can do for a community. With Auckland FC we’ve watched families come together, kids find heroes and a city find its voice. This was our chance to do that for netball, for women’s sport, at a scale this country has never seen,” the statement read.
“Yesterday that ended with an email. No reason. No call.”
Wootten clarified she had written to Mowbray and Williams on Thursday outlining the position of the board and informing them that Netball NZ was not able to proceed any further with negotiations. In the email, Netball NZ invited the couple to sit down with them the following morning to discuss the decision and the “next steps”, including how the decision would be communicated to the players.
However, news of the proposed private league’s collapse was leaked to media before Netball NZ had a chance to tell players.
“In the confidential correspondence, we were really clear that we wanted together to be engaging with the players and we wanted to be speaking with our stakeholders in a really coordinated way. The players should have heard this news from us directly,” said Wootten.
“It is enormously regrettable that that information ended up being leaked and that players found out about the development as they did.”
Midcourt star Peta Toeava is one of the players left in limbo by Netball NZ’s decision to pull the pin on plans to privatise the elite domestic league.
Aaron Gillions / www.photosport.nz
Another blow for players
For players, the collapse of the deal marks another emotional twist in a prolonged period of uncertainty about their futures.
Just as it appeared elite netball had been thrown a lifeline through the Mowbray-Williams proposal, the sudden reversal has left them back where they started – with no certainty over what next season will look like.
The uncertainty is particularly acute for some of New Zealand’s leading players, with several current Silver Ferns still without contracts for next season.
They include Peta Toeava, Martina Salmon, Parris Mason and injured defender Catherine Hall. Several recent internationals, including Phoenix Karaka, Maia Wilson and Michaela Sokolich-Beatson, are also uncontracted.
Netball NZ Players Association boss Pippa Moore warned the prolonged period of uncertainty was taking a major toll on player welfare.
She said the organisation has seen a significant increase in players seeking mental health support and financial assistance.
“There’s a number of players that we’re really concerned about and I think this will just add to it. So that will be our number one focus at the moment,” said Moore.
“People have been holding out for [the new league]. We’ve been waiting all year, and then we deliver the good news that someone’s coming in to save the day and now that’s just been ripped away from them leading into Christmas. And there’s no suggestion of anything else at this point.”
Wootten said the distress and uncertainty it has created among the players is deeply regrettable.
She said her priority was now connecting with those most affected and reassuring them the decision had been made with their best interests, and those of the sport, at heart.
“They are phenomenal athletes. They are phenomenal New Zealanders and we know how important it is that we’re creating an elite pathway in Netball New Zealand that they feel excited and positive about.
“So I am really looking forward to connecting with them and having these conversations and ensuring that the pathway forward is one that they understand and one that they feel positive about.”
Netball NZ says it has an advanced alternative plan for an elite domestic competition in 2027.
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Back to square one
Netball NZ says it is already working on an alternative pathway for 2027, revisiting an option it explored earlier this year before settling on the private investment proposal.
Wootten said the organisation had been working with zones and teams over the weekend to reassess the options, building on work that began several months ago.
“We have progressed relooking at that to see what options we have for 2027, and [we’re] looking forward to sharing more details in the coming weeks,” she said.
Asked if Netball NZ were working on the alternate plan while still negotiating with private investors, Wootten responded:
“No we weren’t. It was only when we believed that we were not able to conclude negotiations with Anna and Ali that we started looking at what this option could be. We were absolutely invested in trying to make this deal work and every endeavour was given that way right to the last minute.”
Wootten would not offer any details of the competition model it was exploring, or how far advanced the organisation was in discussions with broadcasters and sponsors.
“I’m not going to explore details publicly before I’ve spoken to the players and those that are most directly impacted,” she said.
She also could not offer any guarantees there will be an elite domestic league next season.
“I can guarantee that every effort is being given to explore our options for an elect domestic competition into the future. All parties understand how important this is for netball, and for players today and also for the young players that are looking up to these elite athletes as their aspiration for the future. So we’re working really hard on this.”