AusLeisure

The final of Netball New Zealand’s 2020 ANZ Premiership will go ahead at ILT Stadium Southland tomorrow - but just 300 spectators fans will be present.

The fixture, which will see defending champions Central Pulse meet first-time finalists the Mainland Tactix, will be the sole game of the series, with no other games of the finals matches to be played.

With the final round robin games of the competition also called off due to the COVID-19 Alert Level 2, just 300 spectators will be in attendance for the game.

This will include New Zealand Minister of Sport and Recreation, Grant Robertson.

Netball New Zealand Chief Executive, Jennie Wyllie said there was never any consideration given to moving the grand final away from Invercargill, despite neither of the grand finalists being from the region and no fans being allowed into the stadium.

Wylie explained “there's no reason to relocate the final, we needed to be able to consider every element, not just the location of where the teams came from, so ultimately we're really happy with our decision.

"It still is really important for netball to be visible around the country and I think it will remain really important for them to be down there under level 2 restrictions and to be visible in that community as well."

All six ANZ Premiership teams were originally supposed to play in Invercargill tomorrow.

The Northern Stars and Northern Mystics were going to playoff for third and the Steel and Waikato/BOP Magic for fifth.

However, the Coronavirus restrictions saw the schedule disrupted, with one factor being the  Auckland-based Stars and Mystics being prevented from travelling to Invercargill.

The Magic decided also not to make the trip.

A curtain-raiser will now be played between two invitational teams, one coach by Steel co-captain Gina Crampton and the other coached by fellow co-captain Te Huinga Selby-Rickit.

Image: ILT Stadium Southland in advance of tomorrow's ANZ Premiership decider.

Related Articles

20th August 2020 - New Zealand Rugby looks to stage full series of Tests in coming months

12th August 2020 - New Zealand Government reintroduces Coronavirus lockdowns

17th August 2020 - Super Rugby Aotearoa competition ends with Eden Park fixture cancellation

14th August 2020 - Sporting events in jeopardy under Auckland’s new Coronavirus lockdown

30th June 2020 - Netball Australia looks to secure 2027 Netball World Cup for Sydney

25th June 2020 - Invercargill to stage netball’s ANZ Premiership Finals Series

22nd June 2020 - Christchurch Netball Centre may become a community sports and multicultural centre

8th May 2020 - New Zealand Government announces framework for return of professional rugby and netball competitions

20th March 2020 - ANZ Premiership shutdown marks end of all top-level sport in New Zealand

10th March 2020 - Invercargill Councillors agree funding increase for Stadium Southland

16th October 2019 - Invercargill’s ILT Stadium Southland to host key basketball events

20th May 2016 - End of ANZ Championships heralds change to New Zealand netball competition

21st September 2015 - Stadium Southland insurers awarded nearly $17 million in damages after 2010 roof collapse

16th May 2014 - Government to fund reopened ILT Stadium Southland

23rd January 2014 - Southern Steel return to rebuilt Stadium Southland

10th June 2011 - Invercargill City Council sued over Stadium Southland collapse

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.