In A First-of-its-kind Acquisition, Five Women Now Own The BNZ Kāhu Basketball Team, And They’re Ready To Make Change

The BNZ Kāhu professional women’s basketball team is set to be reinvigorated after being purchased by five women with strong ties to sport in New Zealand. 

Jo Caird, Jody Cameron, “Georgie” Paula George, Rachel Howard, and Dani Marshall have come together in what is believed to be a world-first: the first time a sports team has been solely owned, coached, and managed by an all-female team. The BNZ Kāhu is also the first all-women-owned sports team in New Zealand, and one of the first globally.

The new owners include four former elite athletes, Olympians, and world champions across five sporting disciplines:

Jo Caird - a former New Zealand Junior Tennis representative, the first official photographer for the All Blacks, and co-author of the book “Our GameMakers” which shared 52 stories of people who shaped women’s rugby

Jody Cameron [Ngāpuhi, Niue] - a New Zealand basketball legend, 2004 Olympian, Commonwealth Games silver medalist, former Tall Ferns assistant coach, and current coach of the reigning-champion BNZ Kāhu basketball team

“Georgie” Paula George – a double international (rugby and netball) who competed in 6 World Cups for England and Wales, a World Cup winner and former Captain of the Red Roses England team, and current scholarship manager for the Tania Dalton Foundation

Rachel Howard - a former Football Fern who represented New Zealand in the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2008 Beijing Olympics, former player in the German Frauen Bundesliga, and current brand-building executive at one of the top global sports brand

The fifth owner, Dani Marshall, is the founder of womenzsports, New Zealand’s award-winning media outlet dedicated to women’s sports, and Instagram’s fastest-growing community of women’s sports fans in Aotearoa. Originally from the U.S., Dani brought experience from a career in tech and digital when she immigrated to New Zealand in 2022.

Together, the women are on a mission to celebrate the diverse and passionate community of fans who believe in the power of sport to bring people together. Already in the works are new ways to grow the fanbase, enhance the entertainment experience, and make women’s sports more accessible. 

This historic moment is bigger than basketball; it's about changing the landscape for women’s sports in New Zealand.

Jo Caird: “This purchase is about more than basketball - it’s about reshaping the narrative of women’s sports in New Zealand and globally. Now is the time to reimagine the possibilities for women’s sport in New Zealand. We’ve seen how differently female athletes perform on the court/field; now, let’s see what we can do as owners.”

Dani Marshall: “There is massive opportunity across women’s sports in Aotearoa New Zealand - our women athletes consistently excel, and there is a community of fans begging for more content to consume. This new BNZ Kāhu ownership group is bringing a fresh approach to sports franchises. We’ve seen the traditional models and we know what needs to be done better. Women’s sports fans deserve a purpose-built engagement strategy that welcomes overlooked communities who may not even consider themselves ‘sports fans.’ We want to earn the trust of our community so they want to invest in the team - both figuratively and literally.”

Jody Cameron: “We want to create environments where professional women athletes can excel, where women can be themselves, and where the foundation is there to support their growth.”

“Georgie” Paula George: “An integral part of our work is around creating pathways for young girls to see new opportunities. We wanted our ownership group to reflect our society.”

Rachel Howard: “The best time to invest in women’s sports is now. We aim to prove that women’s sports are commercially viable in New Zealand, and we plan to use that business model to elevate all women’s sports across the country.”

Key timings

Starting in October, the BNZ Kāhu team will compete to retain their national championship title in the rapidly growing Tauihi league, which enters its third season in 2024. This five-team league spans Aotearoa New Zealand and includes the BNZ Kāhu (which represents Auckland and Northland), the Tauranga Whai, Wellington’s Tokomanawa Queens, Christchurch’s Mainland Pouākai, and Dunedin’s Southern Hoiho.

• Tuesday 24 September – BNZ Kāhu ownership announcement
• Thursday 26 September – VIPs invited to meet the team and owners at Season Launch (see invite below)
• Sunday 6 October – BNZ Kāhu hosts Southern Hoiho for the first game of the season

The G.J. Gardner Homes Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa league and how to get involved

The Tauihi league was launched in 2022, introducing professional women’s basketball to New Zealand, and making waves by committing to pay parity with the men’s league. Earlier this year, it announced that player wages in the women’s league would more than double for the upcoming season.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for women's basketball in Aotearoa," says Amy Phillips, GM Marketing & Design, BNZ (the title sponsor for the BNZ Kāhu). "The evolution in leadership reflects the strong values the BNZ Kāhu hold. We can't wait to see them return in 2024 as Tauihi league champions and will be behind them all the way to defend their title!”

The brand identity of the Tauihi league and teams reflect New Zealand’s Māori culture, with each team being given a Te Reo Māori name. The BNZ Kāhu has a strong partnership with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, who endorsed the name of the team - kāhu - signifying the New Zealand harrier hawk.

With the season about to start, the BNZ Kāhu’s new owners are committed to making basketball accessible to all New Zealanders, with tickets starting at just $10 for adults and $5 for children. The team will host five games in Auckland and one in Whangārei between October and December, bringing the excitement of the Tauihi league to fans across the upper North Island. The BNZ Kāhu will kick off their season in Auckland at Eventfinda Stadium on Sunday, 6 October at 2pm.

Tickets to see games live are available from the BNZ Kāhu website at www.kahu.basketball, and games will be broadcast on Sky, FIBA’s YouTube channel, and ESPN3 for the US audience. One game per weekend will also be streamed on the Sky Sport TikTok. Follow the team on @kahubasketball for news and updates.

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