Super Netball players will earn at least $30,000 in the league’s 2019 season, thanks to a new pay deal.

The agreement means minimum pay will have more than doubled from $13,250 in 2016, the last year of the ANZ Championship.

Netball Australia says it wants the top-flight league to be the benchmark for women’s world sport. The organisation had already set the bar for payments in women’s sport, announcing a mammoth increase ahead of the inaugural Super Netball season in 2017.

There was also a landmark broadcast deal with the Nine Network and Telstra, which has increased the profile of the sport and earnings for Netball Australia.

Ratings were so impressive in 2017 that the two broadcast games a round have moved from GEM to Nine’s main channel this year.

This helped boost Netball Australia’s latest financial report, in which revenue increased by almost 70 per cent to $26.8 million, while sponsorship income has more than tripled to $12.3 million.

This year, each of the eight Super Netball clubs will get a $15,000 cap increase (to $515,000) to spend on their 10 players.

The average player salary remains about $67,000, which compares well to cricket (minimum $36,000 for state players who also play in the WBBL).

The agreement means the minimum pay is effectively three times more than the AFLW minimum salary of $10,500.

In America, the minimum that a WNBA player can be paid is about $47,000.

While the 2018 deal is modest in comparison to 2017, the Australian Netball Players’ Association is happy, especially with the rise in minimum player payments.

Netball Australia boss Marne Fechner said she wanted Super Netball to set the standard for women’s sport.

“We are driven to set new benchmarks and make Suncorp Super Netball the No.1 women’s league globally,” Fechner said.

“It’s fantastic that young girls now have a genuine career pathway in netball and, more broadly, women’s sport.”

Clubs will also have access to an extra $150,000 for employment, education and ambassador roles, while players’ private health fund insurance rises to $1635.

Clubs are unable to approach rival contracted players until at least the day after the grand final, which will be held on August 25 or 26.

-AAP