The UK Netball Superleague: A Case Study of Franchising in Elite Women's Sport Dr. Louise Mansfield, Deputy Director BC.SHaW, Brunel University, School of Sport and Education, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, Middlesex. UK. UXB 8PH Tel: +44 (0) 1895 267561 Email:
[email protected] Dr. Lara Killick, Assistant Professor (Sociology of Sport and Sport Pedagogy) University of the Pacific, Department of Health, Exercise and Sport Science, 3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA. 95211. Tel: (209) 946 2981 Email:
[email protected] 1 The UK Netball Superleague: A Case Study of Franchising in Elite Women's Sport Abstract This paper draws on theories of franchising in examining the emergence of the UK Netball Superleague in 2005. The focus of the paper is to explore the development of an empowered franchise framework as part of England Netball's elite performance strategy and the consequences of the Superleague for player performance, team success, and commercial potential of the franchises. The findings from 22 in-depth interviews conducted between 2008-2011 with franchise personnel and sport media/marketing consultants inform the discussion. The paper further comments on the implications of the empowered franchise system for developing NGB elite performance strategies. Introduction Emerging in the late 19th century as a sport “initially designed and traditionally administered as an activity for promoting appropriate forms of femininity” (Tagg, 2008, p 410), Netball is played by more than 20 million people in over 80 nations across the globe (INFA, 2011). It is an invasion ball game predominantly played by girls and women between teams of 7 players.