“It’s great for the international and domestic women players to be recognized in the same agreement, alongside the men. It’s a massive step forward and will be a huge drawcard for young women and girls,” she said according to the news.co.nz. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson too was happy with the news and added that it is an exciting time for the sport.
“It’s really important for the current players to build on the legacy of those who have gone before us, and to support tomorrow’s players, both men, and women, at all levels. This agreement goes a long way towards achieving that,” said Williamson.
The improved pay and conditions are part of an agreement that has been calculated on New Zealand’s men’s and women’s professional players getting 29.75% of all NZC forecast revenue over five years ($349m), expected to amount to $104m. As a result, the highest-ranked White Ferns player can get a maximum of $163,246 a year (up from $83,432), the ninth-ranked $148,946 (up from $66,266), and the 17th-ranked $142,346 (up from $62,833).
According to the new agreement, the total number of women’s domestic contracts will increase from 54 to 72. The amount of domestic women’s annual contracts will also be increased from nine to 12 per team.