Leeds Rhinos exploring options in city for purpose-built community netball arena

Now in their third season among the sport’s elite, Leeds Rhinos Netball are yet to have a venue to call home due to a lack of small arenas in the city.

Last Friday night they played a league game at the Allam Sports Centre in Hull to a sell-out crowd of 800 people and expect to attract similar numbers for future games this season at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield and the University of Huddersfield.

They also play games at Leeds Beckett University which accommodates just under 1,000 people, and will play a one-off game at the First Direct Arena on Sunday, April 16. Last season, the two games at the arena attracted an average of more than 3,500 spectators.

But as part of their long-term strategy, the Rhinos want to lay down roots in the city with the construction of community arena with a capacity of 2,500 to 3,000 people.

To do that, they know they need to embrace other sports, which they are happy to do.

Rhinos’ franchise director Dan Busfield told The Yorkshire Post: "It’s something we’re looking into in Leeds, an arena of a suitable size for netball, wheelchair rugby and who knows what other sports.

“That’s the ultimate aim. Other than the First Direct Arena in Leeds there’s no other venue in where you can play indoor sports like netball, wheelchair rugby, basketball etc, with a 2,500 to 3,000 capacity.”

Busfield revealed conversations have begun with potential stakeholders on an enterprise that will involve private finance, the city council and sporting bodies.

"There are irons in the fire, we are just getting things in place,” he confirmed. “We’re looking at a consortium approach. There will be conversations with Sport England, England Netball, private investors, and Leeds City Council will be a major player.

"We’re already having active discussions with the council and they’ve been fantastic. There’s a number of potential sites earmarked.”

Busfield says they will make a trip to Sheffield to look at the new Park Community Arena in Attercliffe that is being developed by Canon Medical Systems and will house the Sheffield Sharks and Sheffield Hatters basketball teams, and South Yorkshire based DNC netball club. That facility is a community arena supported by a number of stakeholders that will accommodate 2,500 spectators and would offer a blueprint to follow.

"We’ve got a couple of games at the EIS so we’re going to have a look at the new basketball arena,” said Busfield, whose side led by Nia Jones, inset, are still searching for their first win.

“We really want it to be a community facility, we don’t just want it to be an events space.

"Wheelchair rugby is on the rise after the RLWC, we’ve got a great team in Leeds Rhinos. With the growing demand, in terms of quality facilities and good environments for young people to be coming into, we’re lacking.”