Reigning premiers the Adelaide Thunderbirds launch landmark partnership with Adelaide University
Two formidable South Australian forces have come together to form a powerful partnership with a three-year deal that will significantly benefit the netball community across the state and beyond.
Adelaide University – Australia’s new university for the future launching in 2026 – will be the official principal partner of Netball SA and the Adelaide Thunderbirds commencing in 2025.
The University has formed through the unification of the University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide.
The partnership will ensure investment into netball at all levels, from grassroots through to the elite, as the two organisations focus on community engagement and inspiring the next generation of leaders.
The University will have presenting rights to Netball SA’s largest annual netball carnival, the Country Championships, which welcomes the state’s best country netballers to Adelaide for the three-day tournament.
They will also have presenting rights of the Thunderbirds’ home First Nations Round as they host the Melbourne Mavericks on July 5 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
The two brands will collaborate to launch an inaugural education-based scholarship for First Nations netballers, as well as offering students the chance to participate in a range of work placements with Netball SA and gain exposure into the high performance sport environment.
Netball SA CEO Bronwyn Klei said the organisation was proud to welcome Adelaide University as its principal partner.
"We’re so pleased to be joining forces with Adelaide University who, like us, have such a proud footprint in South Australia,” Ms Klei said.
“We come together at a special time, with the University preparing for its official launch in 2026 and us chasing history as the first SSN club to secure a third premiership.
“We share a passion for our community and look forward to working together to engage and inspire the next generation of netballers and leaders in South Australia.
Adelaide University Deputy Vice Chancellor International and External Engagement Professor Jessica Gallagher said this was the beginning of something special.
“This new chapter will see the power of pairing education and sport to launch bright futures,” Professor Gallagher said.
“We share a purpose for passion and discovery, nurturing individual progress and performance to lift entire teams and communities.
“Adelaide University is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Adelaide Thunderbirds to celebrate inclusion and to empower future talent in our state.”
