Australian & American Network Co
Sports Entertainment Network (SEN), formerly Crocmedia, is an Australian radio and television distribution company established in 2006. SEN's parent company is Sports Entertainment Group (SEG), formerly Pacific Star Network.[1][2]
SEN owns broadcast rights to AFL, A-League Men and A-League Women matches and Socceroos and Matildas home games.[3] In 2016, it signed a $10 million six-year deal with the AFL for the national radio broadcasting rights for all AFL games.[4]
History
Sports Entertainment Network was established in 2006 as Crocmedia by journalists James Swanwick and Craig Hutchison.[4][5] The company was originally formed in the United States as a public relations company selling entertainment and news content before shifting to focusing on sports.
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.[citation needed]
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.[5][3]
In July 2019, Crocmedia purchased 23 narrowband radio licences across Australia including Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Gold Coast, Darwin and Alice Springs.[citation needed]
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] In May 2022, SEN purchased Brisbane radio station 4KQ from its previous owners HT&E.[15]
