Melbourne Mavericks: SEN’s Bold New Venture in Netball

The Sports Entertainment Network (SEN) has officially announced their newest team in netball, the Melbourne Mavericks. The team’s name was carefully chosen to reflect their bold and innovative approach on and off the court. The Mavericks aim to break boundaries, think differently, and embrace the beauty of the sport while pushing the netball narrative into new territory. Along with the team name and logo, the Mavericks have also revealed their primary colors as sky blue, pacific cyan, and sapphire.

The latest Super Netball franchise will be spearheaded by Tracey Neville, the former Roses coach, and Shae Bolton-Brown, a former Fever player and foundational Magpie, serving as the head coach and General Manager of Netball Operations, respectively.

Shae Bolton-Brown, General Manager of Netball Operations, expressed excitement about launching the brand, emphasising that the team’s name truly embodies who they are as a team and as a club. The Mavericks aspire to revolutionise the game and attract both existing and new netball fans by taking an exciting direction while maintaining respect for the sport and the athletes’ skill and strength.

The Mavericks are keen to root themselves in Melbourne’s southeast, aiming to expand the sport’s reach. They’re inviting existing netball enthusiasts and new fans to join the Mavericks movement.

Bolton-Brown expressed, “We are here to put our stake in the sand in the southeast…and see netball look a little bit different.” They see an opportunity at SEN to attract a fresh audience to netball, celebrating the sport’s elegance, and believe a relatable presentation will enhance its popularity.

Although the new Netball Australia Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is pending, hindering official player contracts, Neville and Bolton-Brown have engaged prospective players in the team’s branding initiatives. Neville acknowledged the challenge, stating, “it’s not been the ideal process…But from our point of view, it’s about embedding the players really early…”

Kelly Ryan, CEO of Netball Australia, warmly welcomed the Melbourne Mavericks to the Suncorp Super Netball competition. She expressed excitement about the team’s entry, stating that they will contribute to the continuous growth and development of the league, which is regarded as the world’s best netball competition. This announcement gives fans a name to rally behind, marking another step forward in readiness for the next season.