Nicholl Appointed to Drive Commercial Strategy for Netball World Cup Sydney 2027

Netball Australia and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 have appointed veteran sports executive John Nicholl as General Manager for Tournament Revenue and Experience.

The appointment comes as the LOC prepares to mark the “two years to go” milestone and signals a clear focus on building a sustainable revenue model across sponsorship, licensing, retail, ticketing, hospitality, and the broader spectator experience.

Nicholl brings over 25 years of commercial leadership across sport and entertainment, with senior roles at Rugby Australia, TEG, Coca-Cola, and WPP AUNZ.

Most notably, he led commercial revenues for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, a tournament widely praised for its record-breaking crowds, broadcast reach, and commercial return. His experience in leveraging global tournaments for local and international brand engagement will be critical as netball seeks to expand its commercial footprint.

Commenting on Nicholl appointment’s, Chief Operating Officer of the LOC, Mark Falvo, said: “This is a key appointment for the LOC as we build out our overall plans for what will be a truly significant opportunity for international netball, as well as a major global event for Sydney.”

He added that Nicholl’s leadership will support efforts to bring major brand partners into the tournament ecosystem.

Nicholl himself emphasised the scale of the opportunity, sharing: “The Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 represents an unbelievably exciting opportunity to partner with the biggest grassroots sport for women and girls in Australia.”

“Together with our athletes and fans, we plan on creating major moments to engage and build momentum with our audiences,” he said.

Don’t miss out on the latest in sports business – Subscribe today to the free Ministry of Sport newsletter and stay ahead of the game. For even more exclusive insights, event tickets, professional development and networking events, become a MoS Member today!.