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etball South Australia (SA) have received major government funding of $12 million, which will see a major upgrade take place at the Adelaide Thunderbirds stadium.

Premier of SA, Steven Marshall, and minister for recreation, sport and racing, Corey Wingard, have recently confirmed that the Marshall Liberal Government’s $214 million sports fund will first go towards the stadium.

Netball SA CEO, Bronwyn Klei, said: “This announcement is momentous for our sport and the netball community across South Australia.”

“The stadium is utilised by players from grassroots level to the elite and is the home of our Adelaide Thunderbirds family.

“I have no doubt this significant investment in our sport will have a positive flow-on effect for netball across the entire state,” Klei said.

The upgrade has arrived following Netball SA’s recent announcement of the end of their seven-year partnership with Priceline Pharmacy.

“Priceline Pharmacy has been an incredible partner over the past seven years, but with our time together coming to a close, Netball SA and the Adelaide Thunderbirds are now on the lookout for new opportunities,” Klei said.

“This funding puts a spotlight on the stadium and presents an incredible opportunity for potential new partners.

“We look forward to exploring our options in the coming months and working with our sponsors to create a hallmark destination for sport in South Australia,” she said.

During the same time, The State Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Plan has been released.

Wingard said: “The comprehensive work that went into the plan started long before we were thrown into a global health crisis but delivering on key projects outlined within it will help us navigate out of the troubling times we find ourselves in.”

“The first projects under this plan are expected to create hundreds of jobs during construction and boost our economy significantly.

“The potential for our state, as we deliver on the projects in this plan, is massive and will position us as a global destination for major sporting events.

“Not only that, we’re committed to upgrading facilities at the grassroots level too because we know how important it is for everyone in our community to be active and healthy,” Wingard said.

The redevelopment of the SA Netball stadium will include increased seating capacity, new cafes and eating facilities, updated entry facilities with an open foyer and turnstiles; new scoreboards and replay screens, and a more efficient connection between indoor and outdoor courts with more systematic viewing spaces.