Leading independent sports media and content business Crocmedia will re-brand as Sports Entertainment Network from 1st October.
The move celebrates the evolution of the Crocmedia business from its regional radio beginnings to the dynamic multi-platform sports and entertainment business that it has become – connecting brands with fans across radio, television, digital, publishing, stadiums and events.
Today, the business owns and operates 16 radio stations around the country – including 1116 SEN Melbourne, 1629 SEN SA in Adelaide, the soon-to-launch 1170 SEN Sydney as well as 10 stations under its racing brand SENTrack. It also owns a newspaper, magazine and talent management business.
The national SEN radio footprint is underpinned by a fast-growing digital platform – providing Australian sports fans with all the breaking sports stories as well as on-demand podcasts and live streaming of SEN audio and live sport commentary delivering:
• 698,000 unique digital users per month
• 1.1 million audio streams per month
• 2.1 million monthly podcast listens*
In addition to its owned radio stations, Sports Entertainment Network is the largest syndicator of sports radio content across Australia.
It holds broadcast rights to the AFL, NRL, A-League, Big Bash and Test Cricket as well as international sports events like NFL Super Bowl and boasts the biggest names calling the biggest games across its commentary teams: AFL Nation, NRL Nation, Big Bash Nation and Football Nation.
Other syndicated radio shows include the long-running, locally-produced weeknight Sportsday; Off The Bench; Reel Adventures – hosted by AFL legend and passionate angler Patrick Dangerfield; and motorsport show: The Driver’s Seat. Its production business Rainmaker also produces live and pre-recorded TV programs from state-of-the-art studios in Melbourne’s Southbank – including Women’s Footy, The Oval Office and Footy SA & WA.
Rainmaker is also the live event production partner for Bowls Australia, Athletics Australia, Softball Australia, Hockey Australia and recently appointed Ultimate Bowls Championship; responsible for delivering end-to-end live coverage for all major tournaments and events across multiple FTA, subscription and digital platforms.
CEO Craig Hutchison who co-founded Crocmedia in 2006 said the re-brand reflected the business today and its vision for the future.
“Our obsession for creating engaging sport and entertainment content has been embraced by sports’-loving Australians and seen our business grow from a regional radio syndicator into a successful national broadcaster and publisher,” Hutchison said.
“Many people don’t know that SEN is the acronym of Sports Entertainment Network so it’s fitting to pay tribute to our origins via our new market-facing brand.
“But we never forget where we came from … and to this day, we are as passionate about producing content through a local parochial lens as we’ve ever been – ensuring audiences have the choice to consume what they want, when and where they want,” Hutchison said.
“Our Origin coverage this year for example, will include a dedicated, one-eyed Blues and Maroons live commentary – as well as a neutral call; while our commitment to local programming has seen us launch metro breakfast shows in each market – most recently with cricket legend Ian Healy and sports presenter Pat Welsh on SENTrack in Queensland.
“And regional Australia remains at the centre of our production DNA and we stand committed to providing unique and tailored content to all of regional Australia too.”
SEN boasts many of the biggest names in sport broadcasting include Chief Sports Caller Gerard Whateley whose own show on SEN – Whateley is Australia’s most popular sports radio show podcast**.
For its 1170 SEN Sydney launch later this month, SEN has secured rugby league great, turned media personality, Matty Johns as well as Australia’s favourite rugby league caller Andrew Voss.
They will join a line-up of the biggest names in sport including Matt White, Bryan Fletcher, Joel Caine, Katie Brown and Jimmy Smith.
Sports Entertainment Network also publishes the iconic AFL Record which has not missed an edition since it rolled off the presses in 1912 – surviving world wars, floods, the great depression and now a pandemic!
It also publishes Lifestyle 1 – a must-read newspaper for visitors and locals to the Limestone Coast – delivered free to letterboxes each week.
The business also owns talent management agency Bravo Management and entertainment and experience business Ballpark.
The name change takes effect from 1st October.
*2020 monthly average ** All Australian Top 100 Podcast Ranker