Netball New Zealand's revenue "is soaring as it prepares to hire eight new staff, but neither the semi-professional players nor the country's cash-strapped zones appear likely to receive any direct financial benefit," according to Liam Napier of the SUNDAY STAR TIMES. An official NNZ document "claims its income has increased" by NZ$4.3M ($3.5M) (65%) since '08.
Six years ago NNZ's revenue was NZ$6.6M. This year it weighs in at NZ$10.9M.
During that period, five national zones -- which have a major role in running the grassroots game -- "have struggled to stay afloat while the wages of players, all of whom are semi-professional, stood still."
Following a two-month internal review, NNZ "is now advertising eight job vacancies" -- two of which are newly-created positions under CEO Hilary Poole, who joined the organization in July '13.
Despite the NZ$4.3M hike in revenue, Poole "denies NNZ profits are up." Poole also said that the organization has had to wipe out more than NZ$1.5M in debt and its priority "is to work within its financial means, while supporting the regional zones." Poole:
"We're not actually [in increased surplus]. We've got to continually invest back into the game. Money goes straight back into programs like player and coaching development and events for the national team to play in."
However, it is understood the five zones "have on-going concerns for their financial viability, with redundancies made and regional bosses concerned over where the extra money to stay afloat will come from." There are also "mounting tensions within the zones between the professional and amateur game" (SUNDAY STAR TIMES, 9/14).