Telstra sponsorship brings netball to IPTV

Stephen Withers
Friday, 28 January 2011 09:43

Your IT - Entertainment

It's often said that women's sport doesn't get a fair shake on TV. Telstra's doing something about that by adding netball to its BigPond media lineup.

A new arrangement between Telstra and Netball Australia will see ANZ Championship and test matches streamed online via BigPond TV, including delivery to the T-Box and other devices such as certain Internet-enabled TVs.

"This great line up of netball content joins the other sports content already available from Telstra including the AFL, NRL and the V8s and means our customers are spoilt for choice. As a netball tragic myself I am thrilled to be bringing the game to new audiences," said Kate McKenzie, Telstra group managing director of innovation, products and marketing,

Netball Australia chief executive officer Kate Palmer said "We have seen Telstra's successful partnerships with other sports and Telstra's commitment from elite through to local levels of sport will help us cater to the growing appetite for netball and give us the opportunity to connect with even more netball fans."

Ms Palmer also suggested that the new arrangement would add further credibility to Australia's bid for the World Netball Championships in 2015.

Telstra will also provide grassroots support to netball through programs such as the Telstra Assistance Fund and the Telstra Affinity Program, and will have commercial partnerships with each of the five Australian teams in the ANZ Championship.