Source: Tom Nokes

Just one month to go till Netball Manchester Live

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Rival sports fans across the North of England are uniting behind Netball Manchester Live, a huge netball showcase scheduled for 18th April at Manchester Arena, one month from today.

Yorkshire Jets will be bringing an army of fans across the Pennines to face Manchester Thunder on  home turf on what should be a memorable climax to the Vitality Superleague season. Thunder can rely on its own noisy supporters plus a new audience of fans excited to watch world class live sport.

As well as the Roses rivalry between the two teams, the event is also aiming to strike a blow for Northern sport against the South. Tickets are selling fast and the event could break the record of 6,033 set by Netball London Live last year for attendance at a domestic netball match.

Tickets are on sale now here.

Sara Bayman, captain of Manchester Thunder: “I think it’s a massive opportunity. With Netball London Live doing so well it’s put netball on the map but it’s important that the Northern teams have something to compete with that. The local rivalry between the Jets and Thunder is so strong that I think it’s a really good spectacle for the crowd to see that on a bigger scale.

“The Roses rivalry goes back centuries and we’ve got teams that are full of local talent so it does mean something to the players too; you’ve got proper Yorkshire girls and Lancashire girls fighting it out for pride as well as for the points in the Superleague. It’s always got a bit of extra edge to it and that’s something that always sells the game to the public.”

Stacey Francis, captain of Yorkshire Jets: “It’s fantastic for the sport. Netball is at that really great time right now where it’s transitional and it’s growing and teams really need to make those financial and commercial steps into bigger venues. Taking those first steps by celebrating local rivalries in Arena-type settings is huge.

“It’s where the game is going; it’s moving to be more professional and the support and growth is huge.

“We’re fortunate at the Yorkshire Jets that we have brilliant support and we have sell-out crowds, so to be able to recreate that at four times the scale will be fantastic.”

Report courtesy of Manchester Thunder/The Emilia Group