According to the Australian Netball Players’ Association (ANPA), Netball Australia has signalled that it does not plan to raise Super Netball wages, which comes as the pair negotiate a new collective player agreement for next season.

Despite Super Netball players receiving a pay rise of up to 22% in 2022 after Netball Australia struck a broadcast deal with Foxtel, the ANPA is concerned that slowing wage growth could push athletes to move to other sports, such as the AFLW and cricket.

The ANPA is pursuing a “partnership” model in hopes of increasing salaries, where the union argues that the model would allow for better revenue sharing between players and Netball Australia, which could ultimately benefit the sport as a whole.

However, Netball Australia’s losses of more than AUD$7 million in the past two years have made it difficult for the governing body to commit to higher wages.

Commenting on the desire for increased wages, ANPA chief executive, Kathryn Harby-Williams, said: “There’s no more money for the players through to 2026, which aligns with the broadcast deal.”

“We are not aligned with that approach and will be working with Netball Australia … we have requested financial information, and we hope to come to the table to discuss that,” she said.

The ANPA has acknowledged the challenges faced by the organisation but remains hopeful that a compromise can be reached.

Super Netball players have long been the highest-paid female athletes in any domestic league in Australia, but the ANPA is advocating for further growth in wages to ensure that the sport remains competitive and attractive to players.

The news comes after Netball Australia announced a partnership with Tradable Bits to evolve fan engagement.