Why Netball Is Boring

A team’s aim, in any sport, is to win – to beat its opponents. This is achieved by scoring more points than its opponent before time runs out. Both sides fight for the better score.

It is this aspect of netball that lets itself down, not only as a sport, but also as a source of entertainment – its scoring. Its goal mouth action (or lack of) is to say the least… dull. Once the ‘goal attack’ or ‘goal shooter’ has the ball inside that semi-circle; its game over. The G.A or G.S has ample time to focus on the unguarded net and shoot from a distance that is often laughable. As for the defence they have to keep one metre away and intimidation of any kind is classed as ‘obstruction’ which results in an even more ‘free’ shot. Some last line of defence. When defending a shot, the defensive player is about as useful as a kerosene heater in the Sahara.

Shooting in netball is akin to basketball’s ‘foul shot’: ‘an unobstructed shot given to penalize the other team for committing a foul’. These shots are expected by the fans, the coach, the team and especially the player to be converted into points (every time). Sure, there is some pressure. Yet they are unhindered shots, and are so dubbed ‘charity shots’. Every shot in netball is a ‘charity shot’. At least in basketball the players shoot from fifteen feet away, not three.

Never experienced déjà vu before? Then watch a netball game. Every ‘basket’ is exactly the same. Imagine a highlight reel of netball shots. I shudder to think. All you’d have to do is record one and then put it on a loop. Nobody would know the difference. You don’t watch a netball game to see points scored.

Author Tim O’Brien once wrote “the mystery is all”. This very much applies to sport- you don’t want to know what happens next. That’s what’s exciting – the unknown. Yet from the moment a netball shooter is preparing for her shot, you the sports fan have already added that unscored point to your team’s total. And why shouldn’t you, she shouldn’t really miss should she….

Lets Just Say That:

For a sport that used to be called Women’s Basketball its not getting any more fans than women who play it themselves.