Visit Victoria is entering into a $15 million partnership with Netball Australia to run until June 2027, replacing the sponsorship the sport lost when Hancock Prospecting pulled its $15 million sponsorship deal last week.
The new deal was announced by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday morning and involves new Visit Victoria branding on the Diamonds’ team kit for home-and-away Tests, while players and coaches will be involved in campaigns to promote Victoria as a tourism destination.
The world’s top-ranked netball team will also play five Test matches and hold their high-performance training camps in Victoria between 2023 and 2026 and the 2023 Super Netball grand final will be played in Victoria as part of the deal.
Alongside promoting netball at the elite level, the partnership will deliver community initiatives to encourage grassroots participation in the sport, particularly in culturally diverse communities.
Andrews said the partnership wasn’t just about elite netballers but also supporting grassroots netball clubs and increasing women’s participation in sport in every corner of the state.
“Victoria is our nation’s sporting capital and its best tourist destination – it’s only right we launch this new partnership to back elite netball in Australia and promote our state to the world,” he said.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said the partnership would help showcase the sport as the state prepares to host the world’s first regional Commonwealth Games in 2026.
Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan added Victoria was a “proud sporting state” and the partnership would give Victorians more opportunities to experiences more netball across the next four and a half years.
