The NSW Swifts are excited to be part of Netball NSW's campaign Come and Play Netball which aims to help the sport rebound after a difficult 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The campaign, which starts on Monday 18 January, will work with the organisation’s affiliated Clubs and Associations - as well as incorporated media and advertising platforms – in the hope of returning playing numbers to pre-pandemic levels.
Come and Play Netball can be broken down into three pillars – paid media, owned assets and local area marketing – and will have an estimated reach of over five million people, targeting key metro and regional areas.
Netball NSW has appointed agency Benedictus Media to help deliver the campaign which will feature state-wide radio and outdoor advertising as well as strategic digital placement. It will also incorporate the organisation’s two professional teams, the NSW Swifts and the Giants.
Swifts and Australian Diamonds midcourter Paige Hadley is part of the campaign, while the vast NSW netball community will also play a key role with Netball NSW providing each Association with a suite of promotional material to ensure Come and Play Netball reaches all levels of the game across the state.
Swifts Head Coach Briony Akle said supporting the return of grassroots netball was a key part of the club's strategy in 2021.
"Without strong grassroots our game wouldn't be where it is today; the clear leader for women in sport that doesn't play second fiddle to a male equivalent.
"This campaign allows the symbiotic relationship between our community and club to grow and I am delighted to have a decorated NSW champion like Paige front and centre of it.
"Netball has been at the forefront of ensuring Australian women had a presence on the national sport scene for over 100 years. Its community and legacy all over NSW deserves a campaign of this scope to help get them back to the record-breaking growth levels of 2019."
Netball NSW Executive General Manager of Community & Pathways Darren Simpson said the campaign was a huge, but necessary and exciting, undertaking.
“When you look at what the last 12 months have thrown at our netball community it’s very important that we put significant investment into helping the game bounce back,” he said.
“Netball across NSW had around a 15% drop in playing numbers in 2020 which compared to other sports was actually not a huge fall-off. However, when you note how much netball grew before COVID-19 we really want to get back on that path as quickly as possible.
“Netball’s grassroots numbers are among the biggest in the state but we should never rest on our laurels and we hope this campaign will help kick-start growth again in 2021.
“I would also like to thank our NSW netball community for committing to support Come and Play Netball, and our two elite teams in the NSW Swifts and Giants for adding their voices too.”
Netball NSW Executive General Manager of Commercial & Marketing Steve Neal gave some more insight into how the campaign would work:
“In terms of radio in metro areas we’ll have a large presence on both Smooth FM and NOVA, while the campaign will also be heard on local radio stations from Wollongong to Orange, Lismore to Wagga Wagga and Newcastle to Dubbo, just to name a few.
“Our outdoor advertising will start in February and be placed on retail panels and outdoor furniture at a combined 145 locations across the state, which will rotate on a fortnightly basis.
“We will also be harnessing the full power of the Netball NSW, the Swifts and Giants Netball’s marketing and social media platforms and providing all Associations with creative they will be able to use in their own environments along with suggested copy and helpful hints around sharing the campaign.”
Come and Play Netball will run for six weeks from mid-January to the end of February.
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