
Show Notes
What does it actually take to run a professional netball franchise? Kate Agnew — General Manager of the reigning ANZ Premiership champions, the Mainland Tactix — has spent over two decades in the sport, from delivering the 2007 Netball World Cup in nine months to helping save the Tactix from liquidation during COVID.
In this episode, Kate unpacks the business of live sport: how she thinks about the fan experience from arrival to exit, why she believes the NBA faces the same challenges as a netball franchise, the "Passionate Model" that drives her event philosophy, and what it was like being the first live sport in the world during 2020 — including the courtside betting behaviour that came with it.
Plus: the story of Fast Five (yes, Kate helped make it up), why Donna Wilkins is the perfect coach for the Tactix, and what success looks like in 2026 after winning it all last year.
Tactix Netball 🌐 Website: https://tactixnetball.co.nz 📸 Instagram: @tactixnetball Youtube: @tactixnetball
Red Nine Studios 🌐 Website: https://www.redninestudios.com 📸 Instagram: @recordedatrednine 🎧 Recorded at: @redninestudios
Chapters
0:00 – Intro 0:50 – Who are the Tactix? The history of elite netball in NZ 3:09 – Hosting the 2007 Netball World Cup in nine months 5:47 – The Tactix territory and the Mainland Zone 7:34 – COVID, liquidation, and how the Tactix survived 9:02 – How the Tactix are structured under Netball New Zealand 10:00 – Being the first live sport in the world during COVID 11:31 – Courtside betting: how to spot it and why it matters 13:31 – Leaving NZ for the 2023 World Cup in South Africa 14:56 – What does a Tactix GM actually do? 15:38 – Creating great memories: the philosophy behind the fan experience 17:19 – Why podcasting and live sport share the same emotional goal 18:03 – You can't control the game — but you can control the event 19:29 – Should players speak their mind? 21:50 – Coach Donna Wilkins: passion, farming, and life experience 23:43 – What does success look like in 2026? 25:18 – The arrival, the exit, and why parking matters more than you think 29:14 – The Passionate Model: eight reasons people attend live events 30:36 – Fast Five: Kate helped create it (and nearly lost it to the party) 33:37 – Wrap-up Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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