Sports Entertainment Network

Sports Entertainment Network (SEN), formerly Crocmedia, is an Australian radio and television distribution company established in 2006 by journalists James Swanwick and Craig Hutchison.[1][2] SEN's parent company is Sports Entertainment Group (SEG), formerly Pacific Star Network.[3][4]

Sports Entertainment Network
Formation2006 (2006)
Type
  • Broadcast
  • Digital
HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
Chief Executive Officer
Craig Hutchison
Subsidiaries
Websitesportsentertainmentnetwork.com.au
Formerly called
Crocmedia (2006–2020)

SEN owns broadcast rights to AFL, A-League Men and A-League Women matches and Socceroos and Matildas home games.[5] In 2016, it signed a $10 million six-year deal with the AFL for the national radio broadcasting rights for all AFL games.[1]

History

Sports Entertainment Network was formed in 2006 as Crocmedia in the United States as a public relations company selling entertainment and news content. Now focusing on sports, the company produces content relating to AFL, soccer, rugby league, golf and racing which is broadcast on hundreds of radio stations across Australia.

Crocmedia entered the mainstream in late 2009 when it was announced that it would operate a live AFL radio service that would be syndicated throughout regional areas. Many regional broadcasters, including Ace Radio stations, 3BA, 3NE and Edge FM, replaced their existing feed – typically 3AW or Triple M – with the new Crocmedia feed. Crocmedia achieved further publicity by signing veteran broadcasters Sandy Roberts and Rex Hunt to provide commentary.

Crocmedia generated controversy in Albury-Wodonga in 2010 when 2AY announced that it would replace the popular 3AW program Sports Today with Sportsday.[6] In November 2016, Crocmedia announced program partnership agreements with a number of radio broadcasters, which saw the merger of the metro Sports Today and regional Sportsday programs. From January 2017, Sportsday, with Sports Today hosts Gerard Healy and Dwayne Russell, aired weeknights on 3AW and across regional Victoria and Tasmania.[7] Sportsday later expanded across the country.[8]

Crocmedia received attention in January 2015, after the Federal Circuit Court fined the company $24,000 for breaching the minimum wage conditions of two employees. Judge Riethmuller branded Crocmedia's actions as 'exploitative'.[9]

In January 2018, Pacific Star Network, the owner of SEN radio, confirmed it had acquired 100 per cent of equity in Crocmedia. Under the plan, existing Crocmedia CEO Craig Hutchison became the largest shareholder and CEO of the merged company.[2][5]

In July 2019, Crocmedia purchased 23 narrowband radio licences across Australia including Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Gold Coast, Darwin and Alice Springs.

In October 2020, Crocmedia was rebranded Sports Entertainment Network, with the media and content business to share an acronym with its SEN radio stations.[10][11]

In March 2021, Sports Entertainment Network announced that it would expand into New Zealand,[12] and subsequently acquired TAB NZ's 30 AM and FM broadcast licences. SENZ[13] launched on 19 July 2021.[14] The New Zealand subsidiary purchased New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) team the Otago Nuggets in November 2021.[15]

In April 2022, SEN purchased Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) team the Bendigo Spirit.[16] The following month, SEN purchased Brisbane radio station 4KQ from its previous owners HT&E.[17]

Programmes

Radio

Television

References
  1. Murfett, Andrew (9 March 2017). "Despite many setbacks, Craig Hutchison has become a major player in TV sport". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  2. Pierik, Jon (8 January 2018). "Craig Hutchison to be biggest shareholder in SEN in Crocmedia deal". The Age. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  3. "Sports Entertainment Group". businessnews.com.au. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  4. "Sports Entertainment Network year of aggressive growth lifted revenue and profit". mediaweek.com.au. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021. The year saw two rebrands under CEO Craig Hutchison with the names Pacific Star Network and Crocmedia being dropped for Sports Entertainment Group and Sports Entertainment Network.
  5. "Crocmedia and Pacific Star Network confirm merger details". Mumbrella. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  6. Bunn, Anthony (22 March 2010). "2AY dumps Sports Today for Craig Hutchison show". The Border Mail. Fairfax Regional Media. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  7. "Gerard Healy and Dwayne Russell expand horizons with Sportsday in 2017". radioinfo.com.au. 26 November 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  8. "Crocmedia's Sportsday covers the country". radioinfo.com.au. 12 February 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  9. Ma, Wenlei (3 February 2015). "Unpaid internships could be a thing of the past". News.com.au. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  10. Crocmedia re-brands to Sports Entertainment Network Sports Entertainment Network 30 September 2020
  11. PSN rebrands Crocmedia as Sports Entertainment Network Radio Today 30 September 2020
  12. Sports Entertainment Network crosses the ditch Sports Entertainment Network 17 March 2021
  13. SENZ
  14. SENZ Launching on July 19
  15. "SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK SECURES OTAGO NUGGETS". nznbl.basketball. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  16. "SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK GROW BASKETBALL PRESENCE WITH WNBL BENDIGO SPIRIT ACQUISITION". sen.com.au. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  17. SEN continues Queensland expansion with 4KQ 693AM Acquisition Sports Entertainment Network 5 May 2022
  18. AFL Live Markets
  19. "AFL Live expands". Radio Today. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  20. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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