Cosgrove welcomes Trans-Tasman Netball League

Sport and Recreation Minister Clayton Cosgrove has welcomed the establishment of the ANZ Championship, a new Trans-Tasman netball league, at a Parliamentary reception in Wellington today.

Mr Cosgrove said the new tournament comprising the two giants of the netball world – New Zealand and Australia – will see top regional teams take on each other in a series of televised matches.

"This new league is a great leap forward for the sport and a very positive initiative between Netball New Zealand and Netball Australia," said Mr Cosgrove. "This is one of the biggest ventures ever undertaken in netball and signals a new professional era for the game."

Mr Cosgrove said the new league will develop the depth of talent on both sides of the Tasman.

"New Zealand franchise coaches will have exposure to an international level of play. Our junior and developing players will have a chance to experience world class play as well as become familiar with the Australian style of the game."

Mr Cosgrove said a new broadcasting deal meant that television viewers would be seeing more live netball games than in previous years. "For the public this new league will provide the best, most exciting and some of the most fiercely competitive netball in the world."

"The benefits of the new competition will also flow through to netball at the grassroots level by boosting interest in the sport overall and by being a source of inspiration for our young up-and-coming players," Mr Cosgrove said.

The ANZ Championship replaces the National Bank Cup in New Zealand, and the Commonwealth Bank Trophy in Australia. This means that regions from both New Zealand and Australia get to compete on both sides of the Tasman.

Mr Cosgrove said the new tournament represented the largest sponsorship of any women's sport in Australasia and it will give a huge boost to the game in both countries.

The ANZ Championship consists of 69 matches to be played over 17 weeks from April to July 2008.

The first game of the ANZ Championship is scheduled for Saturday 5 April, in Wellington with the Melbourne Vixens taking on the Suzuki Pulse.