England Netball has launched ‘Built by Women’, a new campaign celebrating the people, history and community that have shaped the sport, while reinforcing its ambition to build a stronger future for netball.
Created by Brothers & Sisters, the campaign positions netball as a sport with a unique cultural and commercial proposition: built by women, for women, and powered by one of the largest participation bases in UK sport.
In a world where women and girls are still expected to hold back, fit in and take up less space, netball offers something different: a sport built by women, on their own terms, where they can show up fully, compete fiercely and be unapologetically themselves.
Built by Women leans into England Netball’s strategy of being a resonant voice in the community and builds on its existing work to unite the entire world of netball, from grassroots to elite. It will continue to shape how England Netball tells its stories, celebrates its players, fans and game makers, and builds partnerships that champion and grow the sport.
At the centre of the campaign is a striking 72-second film, created by Brothers & Sisters and brought to life using AI. It shows women coming together to construct a giant netball player from the ground up. As she rises to a towering 100 feet, reflecting 100 years of England Netball, the film delivers a powerful declaration of ownership and pride: we built this sport.
Set in Manchester, the film also looks ahead to the Netball World Cup 2031, which will be held at Co-op Live in Manchester following England Netball’s successful bid to host the tournament.
“Netball has always been built by women, for women. It is a sport where women and girls can compete fiercely, lead confidently and take up space on their own terms,” said Fran Connolly, CEO of England Netball.
“Built by Women is about celebrating that heritage and using it to shape the next chapter for our sport. We want more people to see the energy, community and opportunity within netball and how our sport connects so deeply with women and girls across the country.”
The campaign comes as England Netball and its chair, Baroness Sue Campbell, join organisations across sport in supporting The Equal Sport Project, a collective initiative with the ambition of making the UK the world’s leading nation for women and girls’ sport.
Launched on Tuesday 10 November, the Equal Sport Project is a commitment to accelerate equality and remove the barriers preventing women and girls from participating, competing, leading, and succeeding in sport.
“Women’s sport has reached a defining moment. We have seen extraordinary progress over the past decade, but we know that equality will not happen by accident,” said Baroness Sue Campbell, chair of England Netball.
“It requires leadership, ambition and a willingness to redesign the system so that women and girls are considered from the very beginning, not as an afterthought. The Equal Sport Project is about more than recognising the challenge; it is about committing to action together. If we get this right, the UK can become the best place in the world for every woman and girl to play, compete, coach, lead and thrive in sport.”
Credits:
Creative agency: Brothers and Sisters:
Executive Creative Director: Andy Fowler
CEO: Matt Charlton
CSO: Maria McHugh
Managing Director: Stephanie Hobart
Account Director: Ella Saxby
Agency Producer: Liz Dolan
Production Agency: Everything in Computer
Director: Keith McCarthy
EP: Jon Chads
Edit: Tim Hardy (Stitch Editing)
Colourist: George K (Black Kite Studios)
Sound Design: Phil Bolland (Sine)
Spoken Word Artist: One Da
