Manchester Thunder
One of the most successful sides in the Netball Super League, packed with England internationals, playing out of Belle Vue in east Manchester.
Manchester Thunder are one of the dominant clubs in the Netball Super League, the elite tier of the British game. Multiple title wins, a long run of finals appearances, and a consistent supply of England internationals have made Thunder one of the most serious netball operations in the country. Netball is the most-played team sport among women and girls in England, and Thunder are its flagship Manchester club.
Home games are played at the Belle Vue Sports Village in Gorton, part of the same east Manchester sporting cluster as the National Speedway Stadium. The atmosphere at a Super League netball match is family-heavy, fast and genuinely loud – the sport’s growth has built real crowds, and Thunder fixtures against the other big franchises carry weight.
The season runs in the first half of the year. Belle Vue is reachable by bus from the city centre, and tickets are accessible – this is one of the easiest elite sports in the city to take children to without a major outlay.