The Canberra Capitals will use the standards set in new national netball and women's AFL competitions to raise the bar for female athletes, adamant the rival sports should be viewed as a benchmark and not a threat.
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ACT Labor on Monday pledged $2.5 million in funding to women's sports, including a four-year $250,000 sponsorship of the Capitals, to inspire a new generation of female athletes.
It came on the same day WNBL games record-holder and former Capitals star Jess Bibby and Canberra United defender Ellie Brush signed deals to play for the GWS Giants in the women's AFL.
Netball and AFL are lifting the standards for professionalism in women's sport. The average salaries of netballers will rise to $67,500 with a minimum wage of $27,375.
Female AFL recruits can earn up to $25,000 for playing in the inaugural seven-game season.
That is in contrast to some Capitals players who are earning less than $2000 for a WNBL season which runs for six months between October and March.
"Maybe women's basketball has taken a step back, we're not on TV anymore and what netball and AFL are doing is awesome," said Capitals recruit Kate Gaze.
"It's exciting to see what they're going through with their success and basketball needs to step up again.
"Netball has a minimum wage ... we don't have that. We've got players in our league who play for less than $2000 for six months.
"When I was coming through, basketball was the avenue to go all the way to the top and play for Australia. Now there are other sports with other avenues and it's fantastic [for women]."
ACT Labor has committed to extending their sponsorship of the Capitals and the Canberra United W-League team until at least 2020 if they win the election.
The funding also includes a $500,000 female-friendly sports infrastructure program and a $400,000 incentive grant for sports to lead the way in promoting gender equality.
New Capitals general manager Matthew Phelps said the sponsorship deal for the WNBL side would be used to help rebuild the club on the court and financially reward players.
Some basketballers and soccer players are being lured to AFL or netball largely because of the financial incentives and broadcast deals.
Phelps, a former NSW cricketer who played alongside Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Glenn McGrath, said AFL and netball were not a threat, but rather a benchmark driver.
"We understand the pressure of other sports – netball are going along leaps and bounds and we need to keep pace with that," Phelps said.
"Playing at the National Conventional Centre is critical for us and we'll do that next season.
"I think our girls are looked after well from a holistic point of view, but we need to keep pace. [Netball and AFL] are setting the benchmark and we need to rise to that."
Bibby and Brush will join the Giants as two pre-draft signings as they prepare to switch codes.
Bibby played 394 WNBL games before retiring from basketball last year, while Brush will play for Canberra United and juggle GWS training before the season starts in February.
ACT Labor will speak with the Giants if re-elected about hosting some of the club's netball and AFL games in Canberra.
"We've got to acknowledge Canberra has led the nation in women's sport in elite competition and participation. We want to do more and we want sponsors to see that we're committed to [the Capitals and Canberra United]," said Chief Minister Andrew Barr.
ACT sport and recreation minister Yvette Berry has hosted women's sport forums to gauge the best way forward for female athletes in Canberra.
Canberra has a 70 per cent participation rate for women in sport, but girls aged 15-17 drop out and do not return.
"It's important for young women and girls that they get the chance to aspire to be elite themselves," Berry said.
"We want them to see they've got a chance to be active and make it female friendly, remove the barriers from sport."
WNBL ROUND ONE
Saturday: Canberra Capitals v Dandenong Rangers at Southern Cross Club, Tuggeranong, 3pm.
