Published on July 13th, 2023
Location: United Kingdom
BBC to broadcast Netball World Cup 2023 to UK and beyond in a deal facilitated by SPORTFIVE
World Netball and the BBC have agreed a landmark broadcasting deal which will see matches from the Netball World Cup 2023 aired to UK, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man audiences across BBC channels. The partnership was facilitated by World Netball’s international broadcasting agency SPORTFIVE.
Netball fans around the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man will have free-to-air access of the Netball World Cup starting on day four of the tournament up to and including the final.
The BBC’s live coverage will include BBC Television, iPlayer, Sounds and the BBC Sport website, with BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra providing further coverage of key matches.
The Netball World Cup 2023 is the pinnacle of the sport of Netball, bringing together representatives from the 16 best national teams from around the world in an entertaining 10-day netball event.
With over 20 million people playing netball across five continents and 117 countries, the Netball World Cup, hosted every four years, provides a perfect platform for fans to engage with one of the most female inclusive sports in the world.
The 16th edition of the tournament gets under way on July 28, as New Zealand take on Trinidad and Tobago and will conclude at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa, on August 6.
The BBC’s coverage of the tournament sees the continued collaboration between World Netball and the British broadcasting giant following their coverage of the Netball World Cup 2019 in Liverpool.
The deal will see the sport made accessible to people all over the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man and represents another crucial step in showcasing the brilliance of Netball to greater and greater audiences.
Thomas Klingebiel - SPORTFIVE, PRESIDENT -MEDIA
The announcement is the latest deal brokered by global sports marketing agency SPORTFIVE on behalf of World Netball.
Having operated as the governing body’s international broadcasting agency since 2018, SPORTFIVE are responsible for the management, marketing and distribution of World Netball’s media content - including the management of all global media distribution for the Netball World Cup 2023.
The latest partnership between World Netball and BBC follows SPORTFIVE’s previous work to secure Sky Sports as an official broadcaster of the Netball World Cup in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as New Zealand.
SPORTFIVE’s role in the partnership, which sees women’s netball put at the centre of the UK’s summer of sport, is part of the agency's growing portfolio of work within women’s sport.
The work has recently seen SPORTFIVE announce a multi-year partnership with the U.S. Women’s National team, including exclusive global media rights for the SheBelivesCup and national team friendlies from 2023-2030.
Previous partnership announcements with the likes of the International Handball Federation (IHF) Women’s World Championships, the USL Super League and Coupe De France Feminine are also crucial to the agency’s growing portfolio of work within women’s sports.
Thomas Klingebiel, SPORTFIVE, President - Media, said, “SPORTFIVE are thrilled to announce the broadcasting partnership between the BBC and World Netball ahead of the Netball World Cup 2023. The deal will see the sport made accessible to people all over the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man and represents another crucial step in showcasing the brilliance of Netball to greater and greater audiences.”
Barbara Slater, Director BBC Sport said, “We are delighted to be showcasing the Netball World Cup 2023 free to air across the BBC. As a big supporter of women’s sport, we want to bring it to the widest audience possible. With great home nation representation, we’re hoping for plenty of drama and memorable matches.”
Clare Briegal, World Netball, CEO, said, “It is very exciting to be announcing that the BBC will be showing all the action, from day four onwards, of the Netball World Cup 2023.
“For our pinnacle event to be broadcast free-to-air across the UK, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle Of Man is so important on our journey to grow and inspire, enabling the Netball World Cup to reach a wider audience, the fans of the Roses, Thistles and Feathers to follow their team and inspiring more people to get involved in netball.
“We have no doubt that this will be a world-class thrilling event, and we can’t wait to see and hear the fantastic coverage across the BBC.
“Thank you to the BBC for their continued support.”
For our pinnacle event to be broadcast free-to-air across the UK, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle Of Man is so important on our journey to grow and inspire, enabling the Netball World Cup to reach a wider audience, the fans of the Roses, Thistles and Feathers to follow their team and inspiring more people to get involved in netball.
CLAIRE BRIEGAL, WORLD NETBALL, CEO
-
About SPORTFIVE
SPORTFIVE is a global sports marketing agency that delivers customer-centric solutions based on trust and transparency, deep industry experience and global relationships, digital intelligence and innovation. SPORTFIVE strategically and creatively connects brands, rightsholders, media platforms and fans to create and enable contemporary partnerships in sports.
While creating and growing long-term value for all, SPORTFIVE often leads the sports business into the future through innovative digital solutions and strives to be the most progressive and respected partner in sports.
Being at the centre of professional sport SPORTFIVE will use its unique position, in order to make a positive contribution to sustainability and to live up to the social and economic duty and responsibility, which sport and consequently all parties involved, also have. SPORTFIVE operates with a global mindset and network of over 1,200 local experts based in 15 countries around the world, active in Football, Golf, Esports, Motorsport, Handball, Tennis, American Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Rugby, Olympics and Multi-Sport Events and many more.
-
About World Netball
World Netball is the sole, internationally recognised, governing body for netball affiliated to GAISF, the International World Games Association and the Association of Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF), receiving funding from the International Olympic Committee.
World Netball creates a better world through netball, inspiring netballers to embrace opportunities and achieve their potential. Netball is played in more than 100 countries around the world with 79 National Netball Associations affiliated to World Netball. The associations are grouped into five Regions – Africa Netball, Americas Netball, Asia Netball, Europe Netball and Oceania Netball – each with a respective Regional Federation. Regional Federations are an integral part of the global governance structure and assist in the implementation of World Netball policies and the development of the sport in their respective regions.
The Netball World Cup (NWC), previously known as the World Netball Championships is netball’s 4 flagship event owned by World Netball, and it brings together the top 16 teams in the world every four years. The hosts of the NWC automatically qualify for the competition, as well as the top five teams in the World Netball World Rankings on the date of qualification. The remaining 10 teams are decided through qualifiers in World Netball’s 5 regions, as the top two teams from each qualifier will be invited by World Netball to compete at the NWC. The NWC, which first started in 1963, showcases netball around the world through a range of broadcast partners introducing Netball to a whole new audience.
World Netball Congress is also held alongside the event providing a global forum for Netball nations to come together, innovate, share ideas and celebrate women in sport. The Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 will be held in Cape Town, South Africa from the 28th July to the 6th August 2023 at the International Convention Centre.
Press contacts
-
Dominic Mills
Senior Associate, Marketing Communications
dominic.mills@sportfive.com
Other press releases
