Netball's ANZ Premiership has been forced behind closed doors, but may become the next domino to fall, as the coronavirus closed down sport around the world.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's decree to ban gatherings of more than 500 people meant Monday night's clash between Southern Steel and Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic was played without spectators at Dunedin's Edgar Centre.
Magic prevailed 54-48, joining defending champions Central Pulse and Northern Mystics as first-round winners in the national competition.
But Netball NZ chief executive Jennie Wyllie says closure is still a very real threat, as the affects of the coronavirus evolve.
"[It's] certainly one of our risk-management scenarios," Wyllie told Radio Sport. "We're considering all options and keeping an open mind on things.
"We're being particularly vigilant around athlete welfare. We've yet to talk about what it might look like going forward, but whatever it might look like, we're going to do what is the right thing for everyone."
As things stand, this weekend's second round will proceed as scheduled, with Sunday games in Auckland and Wellington, and another in Tauranga on Monday.
"It's moving pretty quick, and we're just trying to keep our heads ahead of it to make sure we can see what's coming and do what's right for everybody involved," said Wyllie.
But she admitted the sport would struggle financially if faced with any prolonged closure.
"All sports will be in a position where they're going to sail close to the wind and it's going to go right throughout the system," Wyllie told Radio Sport. "It won't just be us at a national level.
"There's some really big decisions that need to be made… we're just hoping that we can ride this one through."
