A message to the Team Bath Netball fans
This morning Team Bath has issued a statement regarding NSL 2.0 and the decision taken by England Netball not to include Team Bath in the list of franchises set to compete in the new league which launches in 2025.
Whilst there is obviously a lot of interest and noise around this news, we wanted to take a few moments to address you, our fans, directly.
We want to reassure you that we have done everything we can to try and secure the future of our franchise. We have worked exceptionally hard to try to meet the requirements and to secure a position in NSL 2.0 but regretfully we didn’t meet all of the expected operating standards and England Netball have not included us in their future plans for the relaunched league from season 2025.
Whilst the franchise will not compete in NSL 2.0, we remain in discussions with England Netball about the future of the performance pathway in the southwest. We are committed to doing what we can to find a way to continue our legacy in the region and to support the return of elite netball to our fans at the earliest opportunity.
We know that this news will be a huge shock and it’s hard to put into words how heartbroken we are – not just for our players, coaches and staff, but for our fans and the netball community across the southwest.
As a franchise which is steeped in the history of the league, Team Bath has become synonymous with pushing the boundaries of elite netball. We have enjoyed incredible success over the years, remaining the most successful franchise in the NSL with five Super League titles, and have been the foundation for countless netball careers. Hundreds of players have worn the Blue & Gold dress, with countless individuals having gone on to become legends of the game. Just recently, some of you joined us at the event for the University of Bath’s Hall of Fame for Sport for the induction of Jess Thirlby and Anna Stembridge, joining fellow inductees Lyn Gunson, Pamela Cookey, Stacey Francis and Serena Guthrie.
As well as producing incredible role models, we also pride ourselves on creating incredible memories and leaving a lasting positive impact on those we interact with. We are blessed to have been able to share special moments with our fans week in and week out, and through our community engagement work we’ve been able to help inspire people of all ages using the power of our sport.
There are many emotions which we know you may be feeling now: shock, disappointment, sadness, frustration, and we share these with you.
The players and the staff want to say a huge thank you to you, our fans. The Blue & Gold fans are simply the best in the league. You have shown us your unwavering support over two decades. You have been there to cheer us on, to support us through the highs and through the lows. You’ve shared in the sporting moments which have made Team Bath what it is today, and which have cemented our place in NSL history. You are truly the stars of our Team Bath Netball journey. The indescribable excitement and the incredible atmosphere which welcomes our players week after week into the Team Bath Arena on those ‘Fearless Fridays’ is thanks to you.
Team Bath Netball is more than a franchise. It is a community; it is its people – players, coaches, partners, sponsors and volunteers; it is its fans.
While we all come to terms with this news, we still have matches to play this season, and we hope as many of you as possible will come to support us at our last home match in the Team Bath Arena tomorrow against Strathclyde Sirens (tickets available by clicking here). We are sure that emotions will be running high.
For those of you who are unable to join us tomorrow, we are also planning a special event in June in the Team Bath Arena and we will share the details of this with you as soon as we have them.
