Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic contest the preliminary final against the Sting. The Southland-based franchise emerged victorious over the Magic by 48–46 in a close contest: this was the final NBC match played by the franchise. The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic were one of five New Zealand franchises named for the new trans-Tasman netball competition – eventually named the ANZ Championship – to start in 2008. Martin Ellis was appointed as the new CEO for the Magic franchise. But several organisational problems also emerged prior to the start of the new season: a row erupted over the composition of the board early in the
Radio Bay of Plenty closure was "a sign of the times". The closure was also met with disappointment from local businesses that had advertised on the station. One Double X is an adult hits radio station in Whakatane. It reaches the entire Bay of Plenty, with specific frequencies Ohope Beach and Te Puke and live streaming on its website. As the flagship network of Radio Bay of Plenty, it reaches the entire Bay of Plenty. It is heard throughout the region on 90.5 MHz & 1242 kHz, at Ohope Beach on 92.9 MHz, in Te Puke on 89.0 MHz and also streams on the