Netball Australia bounces back securing Visit Victoria as new sponsor
Netball Australia has secured a $15 million sponsorship deal with Visit Victoria after losing its previous deal with mining giant Hancock Prospecting.
Netball Australia secures new sponsor following collapse of Hancock Prospecting deal after player backlash
The Visit Victoria deal will run until June 2027 and see the national netball team, The Diamonds, adopt Visit Victoria branding for home and away games. The 2023 Super Netball Grand Final will be played in Victoria.
As part of the deal, both players and coaches will appear in tourism campaigns for the state’s destinations.
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Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan told the ABC that Visit Victoria was one of several potential sponsors that had reached out to the sporting body after the high-profile fallout of the Hancock Prospecting deal.
The mining company last week ended its four-year sponsorship deal with Netball Australia after player backlash and protests.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the sponsorship deal was a coup for the state, which already hosts several iconic national sporting events, including the Australian Open, Formula One Grand Prix, AFL Grand Final, The Spring Racing Carnival, and the Boxing Day Cricket Test.
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“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.
Diamonds captain Liz Watson said in a statement: “This is a significant partnership for the Origin Australian Diamonds as we prepare to defend our Commonwealth Games gold medal in Victoria in 2026.
“Visit Victoria is a proud supporter of netball and this investment will benefit all levels of our game.”