The Trans Tasman Netball League Died Today

After months of uncertainty, the powerbase of netball has been split right down the middle.

Australia announced today that it has decided to form its own professional league, ending the current trans-Tasman ANZ Championship, which was founded nine years ago.

Frustration with the lack of competitiveness from New Zealand teams has been cited as one of the reasons for the split.

Australia will establish a new eight-team competition, with three new sides – understood to include two Melbourne teams and a new Sydney-based one – added to the mix.

New Zealand, meanwhile, will form their own six-team league, with their former ANZ franchises and an extra side to be established in Auckland.

It has been suggested an additional 'Champions League'-style international club competition would also take place, featuring the best teams from Australia, New Zealand and potentially elsewhere.

The split will may lead to New Zealand's best netballers moving across the Tasman in search of a high standard of play. Silver Fern star Laura Langamn already plays for the New South Wales Swifts, and more are likely to follow.

Both Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand are trumping big broadcast deals on both sides of the Tasman that will lead to increased revenue streams for the sport.

It is easy to think of New Zealand as the immediate losers in this split. The Kiwis will lose higher quality competitors, and possible Silver Ferns from next season onwards.

However, the ANZ Championship was hardly turning into a broadcast beast in either country, so it may be better to focus on giving Kiwis – or Aussies – the best of their local product – as well as having a 'Champions League' competition as that has some 'cherry on top' prestige to it.