Ex-Tigers’ bosses in big Netball takeover as Storm cut ties in major move

Former Tigers’ chairman Lee Hagipantelis and CEO Justin Pascoe’s Global Sports’ Management Company has bought the Sunshine Coast Lightning from the Storm Group.

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The Storm Group announced last week that they are moving away from their ties to Queensland rugby league to align their pathways system in Melbourne.

The Storm will field seven teams across NRL, Male and Female Pathways in 2026, including a stand-alone reserve-grade side for the first time.

The connection to Queensland has been good to the Storm, who have attracted some of their greatest players in Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk to the club from the State.

After leaving the Tigers, Hagipantelis and Pascoe have ventured into Sports ownership with the Global Sports’ Management Company.

Their latest move follows GSF’s recent acquisition of the Ottawa BlackJacks in Canada and the Newcastle Jets in the A-League, further demonstrating the organisation’s growing global footprint and commitment to investing in sport.

GSF has a strong track record of revitalising and growing professional sports franchises.

The organisation is focused on building a franchise that delivers excellence on the court, expands pathways for local talent, and creates an unmatched fan experience on the Sunshine Coast.

“Sunshine Coast Lightning has announced a change in ownership with Global Sports Management who will become the new licence holder beginning 1st October 2025,” the club said in a statement.

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“Global Sports Management co-owners Pascoe and Hagipantelis are privileged to officially join the Sunshine Coast Lightning family.

“Personally, the Sunshine Coast has been part of my life since I was four years old,” Pascoe said.

“I’ve got family here, I’ve spent much of my life connected to this community, and more recently I’ve been lucky enough to call it home.

“To now have the opportunity to contribute to the growth of sport here, and to lead a franchise as special as the Lightning, is something I feel both excited and humbled by.

“We want to acknowledge the Melbourne Storm organisation, who have done an outstanding job in establishing this club and setting such strong foundations. Our responsibility now is to build on that legacy.

“We are committed to ensuring the Lightning continues to shine—not only as a leading netball franchise in Australia, but also as a club that the Sunshine Coast community can proudly call their own.”

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“What excites me most is the opportunity to combine our expertise in sport with the incredible passion of this community,” Hagipantelis added.

“Local ownership matters. It ensures decisions are made with the Sunshine Coast at heart. We’re committed to investing in women’s sport, building deeper connections with fans and partners and ensuring the Lightning remains a source of pride for this region for many years to come.”

Established as a start-up team in partnership with the University of Sunshine Coast in 2016, Lightning has gone on to become one of the most successful sporting teams in Australia.

The team has developed a strong local presence and connection with the Sunshine Coast region and is one of the most recognised elite women’s teams in the country.

Storm Group CEO, Justin Rodski revealed the decision to sell the Lightning was not easy.

“We have been really humbled by the enormous support of our members, fans and partners who have been with us from day one and who have helped to make our club so successful,” Rodski said.

“There is a genuine passion for Lightning across the Sunshine Coast region. Our supporters have been on this incredible ride from the memorable back-to-back premierships in our first two seasons to the family days and school clinics that give young girls and boys the chance to play netball.

“We have been very lucky to have had the support of the Sunshine Coast Council and University of the Sunshine Coast, as well as many commercial partners along the journey, building a professional and highly sought after commercial program that has set the benchmark in the competition.

“We are incredibly proud of our staff, coaches and players at the Lightning and what we have been able to achieve in such a short period of time, both on and off the court.

“Our focus through this period has always been on our people and the community, ensuring our players and staff are supported, and that the Sunshine Coast would continue to have a team to follow.”

Rodski put the sale down to further expansion of the men’s and women’s NRL competitions, which means the Storm Group will now concentrate its investment in women’s sport on rugby league.

“This move will now allow the club focus on rugby league in our home of Victoria,” Rodski said.

“We have a strategic focus to invest in our core business rugby league and we are working closely in partnership with the NRL to grow the game, invest in pathways and strengthen our academies to support the next generation of male and female future Storm stars.”

The Storm are the latest football club to pull out of Netball.

In 2016 when the Suncorp Super Netball was founded ahead of 2017 inaugural season, the AFLW and NRLW had not begun.

AFLW was set to start the following year. The motivation behind the footy clubs’ involvement in Netball was to tap into the female market with women’s sports starting to really take off around that time.

With the growth of the NRLW and AFLW there is a now a more direct route to their fan base and audience.

Collingwood announced 2023 would be their last season in Netball and moved to sell their license.

At the time it was a controversial decision given they received government grants to build women sports specific infrastructure and then turned the netball facility into an indoor training ground.

WHAT NEXT FOR NETBALL?

The move away from football clubs is a positive step for the growth of the Sport of Netball.

Netball as a sport and the players have been proud of their success because they grew organically and not off the back of an established male sport (like cricket, AFL and NRL).

The Lightning now have the opportunity to stand on their own two feet with the help of the Global Sports’ Management Company backing them.

The Lightning won their first Suncorp Super Netball Premiership in its inaugural season of 2017 and went on to claim back-to-back Premierships the following year.

They narrowly missed out on playing in yet another finals’ series in 2025 having reached the finals in six of their previous nine seasons.

The Lightning is entering a new era, one that builds on the proud foundation established by the Melbourne Storm and embraces the passion, support, and pride of the Sunshine Coast community.

Netball Australia CEO Stacey West thanked the Storm Group for their valuable partnership and shared her excitement about the new path forward with Global Sports Management.

“The Suncorp Super Netball League is the most attended female sports league in Australia, and we also had further record breaking viewership growth last year,” West said.

“We have a strong foundation and new momentum and I can’t wait to see the next phase for the Lightning to be built by Global Sports Management.

“Justin Pascoe and his leadership team are highly capable, highly experienced, and locally aligned. The Lightning are going to go from strength to strength.

“I would also like to acknowledge the wonderful partnership Netball Australia and the Storm Group have built over close to a decade.

“I extend my deep thanks to all the members of the Storm Group team and I wish them every success with their new priorities.

“The Lightning would not be the valuable asset they are today without the incredible stewardship of the Storm Group.”

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