Strong attendance, club memberships and television audiences have reinforced the ongoing growth and stability of netball in Australia in 2025, as Netball Australia continues to focus on strategic investment.
A total season attendance of 386,455, marked 2025 the biggest Suncorp Super Netball season ever and confirmed the league's status as the most attended in Australian women’s sport for the second year in a row.
Finals Series crowds grew by 25 per cent compared to 2024, alongside a 60 per cent rise in viewership for the 2025 Grand Final, making it the most-watched Suncorp Super Netball game ever on Kayo Sports and Foxtel.
Netball Australia’s full-year financial results, published in its Annual Report, show stable revenue with an increase from $45.42 million in 2024 to $50.76 million in 2025, supporting ongoing investment across the sport.
Following three consecutive years of surpluses, the organisation recorded a small operating deficit of $0.35 million as it prioritised strategic investment. This includes:
- The establishment of the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 Local Organising Committee and program to deliver a home World Cup;
- Marketing initiatives to drive participation in Woolworths NetSetGo;
- Fan engagement and experience around the Suncorp Super Netball League and Diamonds events;
- Improvement across NA digital assets and investment into building new digital products;
- Strategic projects inclusive of the development of a new 10-year plan and understanding the landscape to expand the Suncorp Super Netball; and
- Important pay rises for the world champion Australian Diamonds athletes.
Netball Australia Chair and Swifts icon Liz Ellis AO said increased interest in netball globally, with more people watching via Netball Pass than ever before and new interest stimulated by international broadcast deals, had supported revenue growth.
“Across the season we distributed more into Suncorp Super Netball team grants, invested more into marketing and digital, and invested to improve the technical performance of the league,” she said.
“As a result, we saw a stronger return across the Finals Series and the Grand Final.
“We also invested significantly into athlete pay, with the Diamonds securing a near 40 per cent pay increase and increased investment into the Australian Netball Players’ Association to support wellbeing programs and athlete support services.”
Ellis also said Netball Australia has begun discussions around securing sponsors for the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027.
“Hosting the 2027 Netball World Cup in Australia presents the sport with a huge opportunity for new generations of fans to fall in love with the game,” she said.
In 2025, Netball Australia launched an ambitious 10-year Made in Netball roadmap to plot a strategic path to success that builds on the strong platform of on and off court achievements in recent years.
The recently announced new five-year media rights partnership with Nine will see all Netball Australia content, including Suncorp Super Netball, Australian Diamonds and 2027 Netball World Cup content, freely accessible from January next year.
“We have started 2026 with strong momentum, and as we continue to build on the foundations of our game and the direction set by our new 10-year plan, Made in Netball, the opportunities for netball to capitalise on are transformative,” Ellis added.
“Given the strength of Suncorp Super Netball, there is clear ambition to grow the competition and create more opportunities for the league and our athletes.
“While we have determined not to expand in 2027, we are exploring avenues for future growth and innovation with a commitment to ensuring that any decision is based on strong commercial viability and sustainability.”
