AusLeisure

The Melbourne Storm Group, owner of the NRL team, have become the sole owner of Super Netball's Sunshine Coast Lightning, following the announcement the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) has transitioned from being a part-owner to a principal partner.

The Melbourne Storm Group and USC had held joint ownership of the club since the establishment of Lightning in 2016.

The move will likely see Lightning further develop their collaboration with Melbourne Storm, while USC will continue to invest heavily in the club and will remain on the front and back of Lightning’s dress, with the club to also remain at USC Stadium.

Lightning Chief Executive, Danielle Smith, who also holds a position as a Melbourne Storm Group board member, advised “USC has been instrumental in our success to date.

“Our athletes are privileged to train at USC’s high-performance facilities, which are amongst the best in Australia, and to also have access to their high-performance expertise and research.

“And of course we have a unique advantage playing our home matches at USC Stadium in front of capacity crowds of passionate Lightning members and fans.

“Lightning and USC both have a strong focus on community engagement, and that will continue to be a key pillar of our partnership."

Advising that the University was proud of its role in establishing Lightning as one of the world’s top professional netball teams and the first national sporting team to be based on the Sunshine Coast, USC Vice-Chancellor and President, Helen Bartlett, stated "the University is delighted to see Lightning enter this next phase as a well-established organisation and we are proud to continue our support of the club as both a foundation principal partner and the official tertiary education partner."

Melbourne Storm Chief Executive, Justin Rodski, said the move further strengthens the NRL’s club’s commitment to the Sunshine Coast region.

Rodski added "we know from experience at Storm that you need genuine partners with a shared vision from a very early stage if you want to have success in a highly competitive sporting market.

“Lightning is an integral part of the Storm Group, adding geographic and gender diversity to our unique portfolio offering, while upholding the same values around people, community and elite success.”

Related Articles

1st October 2021 - Melbourne Storm tops Sydney Swans as Australia’s most supported club

16th October 2020 - Melbourne Storm links with Gemba to accelerate data strategy

18th August 2020 - Melbourne Storm and Sunshine Coast Council agree ongoing NRL game hosting deal

6th May 2020 - Melbourne Storm forced to find new training facilities after Albury City Council ban

5th October 2018 - Melbourne Storm looks to offer fan-ownership model

26th May 2019 - Sunshine Coast Lightning wins in first game at newly refurbished $9 million USC Stadium

4th September 2021 - Landmark pay deal agreed for Suncorp Super Netball players

7th August 2021 - Super Netball finals locked in for South East Queensland

3rd August 2021 - Suncorp Super Netball competition looks to maintain Queensland base

21st July 2021 - Lockdowns see Super Netball return to Queensland Hub

13th May 2021 - Endorsement of governance reforms to see merger of Netball Australia Board and Super Netball League Commission

13th December 2019 - New $4.2 million aquatic facility opens at USC Sports Precinct

9th February 2019 - Funding transforms indoor USC Stadium and boosts champion netball team

13th June 2017 - Empyrean Lighting illuminates USC Stadium

---

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.