Netball Northern chairwoman Dianne McAteer said while she is confident Auckland netball has the fanbase to support a second team, her biggest concern is finding commercial partners in a congested Auckland sports market. Netball NZ chief executive Hilary Poole said the national body are prepared to financially support the new franchise through the start-up stage. Poole said a working party with representatives from Netball NZ and Netball Northern management has been established to work through details such as location, a team name, and coaching and management personnel. The national body yesterday announced plans for a six-team "elite domestic competition" in 2017, confirming the end of the ANZ Championship. The new triple-round competition will feature the five existing franchises along with a start-up team based in the greater Auckland area.

Source: New Zealand Herald May 19, 2016 11:22 UTC