The relaunched Netball Tremendous League will stage its Grand Last at The O2 in London for the primary time in 2025 because the new-look competitors revealed its fixtures and adjustments to its format for subsequent season.
As a part of the overhaul aimed toward additional rising the game and accelerating the highway to professionalism over the subsequent decade, the NSL revealed the “significant milestone” of taking the Grand Last to the enduring O2 when the season-ending match takes place subsequent yr on Sunday July 6.
In additional revisions, the brand new season will open with a brand-new match – the Netball Tremendous Cup – which will likely be held on Worldwide Ladies’s Day, Saturday March 8, subsequent yr when all eight groups within the revised league will head to the Utilita Area Sheffield to compete for the primary trophy of the marketing campaign.
The draw for the Netball Tremendous Cup is happening reside on Sky Sports activities Information at 3.15pm on Tuesday.
The regular-season video games begin on Friday March 14 with groups competing for league factors throughout the primary of 14 match rounds.
The highest 4 groups on the finish of the league season then progress to the semi-finals on June 20-22, forward of a brand new preliminary closing on the weekend of June 28-29 earlier than the showpiece Grand Last at The O2 on July 6.
Watch reside protection via the season on Sky Sports activities.
“We’re thrilled and extremely proud to bring the 2025 NSL Grand Final to The O2 in London for the very first time and to showcase this electrifying event to our growing audience,” stated Claire Nelson, Netball Tremendous League’s managing director.
“It’s only fitting that our showpiece event takes place at one of the most prestigious arenas in the world and this will be a significant moment for our sport as we deliver not just a world-class event, but also an unforgettable experience for fans, players and everyone involved.
“This coming season, our league will likely be even larger and higher than ever earlier than with a lot of thrilling new issues for our present and new followers to expertise.
“So bringing our first season in the new era to a climax in a venue as iconic as The O2 will be a major moment for us all, and will make a real statement for the ambitions we have for our league and the boundaries that we will continue to push.”
Defending champions Loughborough Lightning have received the previous two Netball Tremendous League titles, and three of the previous 4, and objective assault Ella Clarke stated the prospect of showing in one other closing, this time at The O2, can be a dream come true.
“To get to the final, that’s our main aim again, we want a threepeat,” Clarke advised Sky Sports activities.
“I mean playing at The O2 I think is what most athletes dream of.
“It is one of the vital iconic venues in England so it’s going to be nice for the ultimate to be right here and hopefully Loughborough are in it.”
‘We want to put it on a bigger platform’ – the changes and hopes for netball’s new era
The brand new-look Netball Tremendous League, which has additionally revealed a putting revised emblem, options eight as an alternative of the earlier 10 groups in 2025 and diminished enjoying squads (12 to 10 gamers), with the typical wage to extend by not less than 60 per cent.
Six of the eight groups within the 2025 NSL already featured within the earlier set-up – Leeds Rhinos, London Mavericks, London Pulse, Loughborough Lightning, Manchester Thunder and the renamed LexisNexis Cardiff Dragons.
Birmingham Panthers have joined the league to construct on the success of Severn Stars, whereas Nottingham Forest Netball is the opposite new entrant for 2025, an entity owned and managed by the Premier League soccer group.
“It’s fantastic for women’s sport, we want to put it on a bigger platform,” stated Birmingham Panthers’ Ruth Hughes on the adjustments to the league.
“We want to engage many more fans, and I think the change in Super League this year is the way forward and the way to go for netball.
“It is improbable to be part of a membership that is grown from the beginning in order that’s actually thrilling, working with [head coach] Jo Journey once more. That is improbable. I am so excited to see what we will put out as a group.”
Significantly, half of the new season’s matches will take place at major arenas across the country in order to draw bigger crowds and improve the experience for fans.
“I believe the game’s been growing for such a very long time, however I really feel like that is the brand new step we needed to take ahead,” said London Mavericks’ Emma Thacker, who plays at goal shooter/goal attack.
“I’m so grateful to be a part of this new set-up and I’m really excited to see where we can go this season as a club but also as a sport as well.
“Arenas are nice and packing them out is so essential but in addition for these, it isn’t all the time accessible for everybody to look at each group up and down the nation.
“So, I think having live footage of us playing helps to build the sport and helps gives that accessible nature to everyone as well.”
Tickets for the Netball Tremendous Cup go on sale to England Netball members from 10am on Thursday October 10, earlier than common sale begins from 10am on Monday October 15.